From Opportunity to Impact: Adam’s Story

BOOST Network Inspirational Stories

09/10/2026

For young people, opportunity can begin with something as simple as having a safe place to belong, a

caring adult who believes in them, and the chance to discover what they’re capable of.

But creating those opportunities takes more than a single program. It takes organizations that have the tools, relationships, and support to understand what young people need, and continually strengthen how they serve them.

That’s the purpose of United Way’s BOOST Network.

Through BOOST, youth-serving organizations like Creative Kids, which is also a United Way funded agency, have access to training, collaboration, resources, and a network of peers working toward a shared goal: helping more young people build the skills, confidence, and connections they need to thrive.

Creative Kids has put that learning into action. Through programs like Project TAP, which provides visual arts programming for justice-involved youth, and its Resiliency Art Program, Creative Kids has created consistent opportunities for young people to build trust, express themselves, develop new skills, and experience success.

For youth like Adam, that support can become a turning point.

Adam first connected with Creative Kids through Project TAP while on probation. What began as an opportunity to participate in an arts program became something much bigger: a relationship with mentors, a place to build confidence, and a safe space to discover what he could accomplish.

After completing probation, Adam continued with the Resiliency Art Program. He graduated from high school and returned to Creative Kids in a new role, this time as a Gallery Assistant.

His journey represents more than one young person’s success. It demonstrates what can happen

when organizations are equipped to continuously improve how they engage young people: a participant can become a graduate, a young professional, and eventually a source of encouragement for others.

That is the impact of United Way and the BOOST Network.

By strengthening the organizations that serve our community’s children and youth, BOOST helps create stronger programs, stronger relationships, and better outcomes for the young people who walk through their doors.