Okay, so the title was meant to grab your attention and no, Tacoma YFC isn’t vacating our Center and M Street offices…but we do have a great opportunity to expand into some new space on Tacoma’s Hilltop.

For the past several years our City Life ministry team has been doing some fantastic collaborative outreach work with Allen Renaissance, Incorporated (ARI)– a non profit borne out of Allen A.M.E. church– and ARI has become a key ministry partner.  As the Lord continues to open new doors, especially broadening our reach through our foster care ministry it became apparent that there wasn’t “enough room at the inn” at our current offices.  In fact, Jeff Clare (foster care director) and I have been talking about this opportunity to expand our offices but often that talk would end with the phrase, “where in the world do we go?”

It’s amazing how the Lord provides!  During our dreaming phase with the rest of our TYFC Leadership Team our wish list included the following: 4-6 offices, plenty of cubicle space, a conference room, kitchen and–if possible–a multi purpose room for large group meetings.  Oh, and we hoped/prayed to get such an office space for below market rate.  Just over a month ago as Darrin Miller was scouting out temporary space for his team  Cheryl Jones, ARI Executive Director, approached him and told about 1500 sq ft of office space in the facility they just moved into at 1321 MLK.  The entire facility is over 17,000 sq ft and they were beginning to look for partners to move in and lease space.  Guess what this facility has…yep, a conference room, kitchen, huge meeting space and nearly 1500 sq ft of office space that we can remodel to include 6 new offices! Plus, they gave us a fantastic rate…what a blessing.

So, one and a half weeks ago Tacoma YFC signed a 3 year lease to expand into these offices at 1321 MLK, the Allen Renaissance Building. We’re waiting on our remodel permits from the city and are enlisting framing contractors, painters, sheet rockers and carpet people to help in the remodel process. Once the remodel is finished (our goal is by the end of May) the City Life, Campus Life, and Juvenile Justice ministry teams AND myself will be moving to these new offices.

All of this will allow Foster Care to continue to grow and utilize the existing office space on Center St as well as open more partnership opportunities on Tacoma’s Hilltop with ARI.  So grateful for the Lord’s guidance and providing exactly what we need.