There is scientific evidence that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) – witnessing domestic violence, growing up in a home with a parent that has mental health issues or uses alcohol/drugs, being bullied in school, etc. – increase physical, mental, and behavioral problems later in life.

Kitsap Strong is building upon several decades of excellent work in our community, focused on improving health & safety outcomes for children and families. In the early 2000s, our predecessors the Family Policy Council and the Kitsap County Health and Safety Network brought together leaders from various organizations and developed a strategic plan for county-wide dissemination of the Search Institute's Developmental Asset Model of Positive Child and Youth Development....

We can build the capabilities that enable us to be resilient to life’s stressors at any age. Through good self-care practices like regular physical exercise, healthy eating, mindfulness, meditation, prayer, reflection, stretching, etc., we can strengthen our executive skills of planning, prioritizing, regulating emotions, and impulse control. These and other adaptive coping skills build our resilience and improve our ability to bounce..

In 2013, the Kitsap Community Foundation (KCF), in collaboration with the United Way and the Suquamish Tribe, was awarded a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation grant to reduce intergenerational poverty.  The United Way, through its passionate commitment to early education and birth-to-five services, identified reduction of ACEs as critical to furthering their goals.  The Suquamish Tribe, a strong local funder, has a tribal council focused on community development, improvement in tribal public health, and has been an early investor and believer in the ACEs Partnership...

We are funding 26 local, non-profit agencies to come together to learn the science behind how adversity & trauma impact our brain development, life-long health, and explore techniques & strategies for building resilience.