Youth 360 and Thrive Mat-Su host parent night

WASILLA — Thrive Mat-Su and Youth 360 joined together to host a parent night event at the Mat-Su Health Foundation Wednesday, Jan. 11, giving local families the opportunity to have an open discussion about raising children in the Valley.

This event was open to the public with dinner, childcare, and raffle prizes included.

"I thought it went well- lots of thoughtful responses," Youth 360 director Tyler Healy said.

Youth 360 offers after school programs and summer activities to Wasilla High, Wasilla Middle and Houston Jr./Sr. High students.

United Way of Mat-Su oversees the Youth 360 program, a local effort aiming to improve Valley students’ overall health and wellness by connecting them to their peers, families, and the community at large through fun and engaging activities that foster meaningful connections.

Thrive Mat-Su is another local organization under United Way. Thrive is a community-led coalition made up of locals from all walks of life with the core mission to support local youth and prevent substance misuse through a range of programs, fundraisers, and public projects.

"We share a lot of the same goals," Healy said. "The families we have appreciate the value of what we're doing."

Healy said they plan to continue holding parent nights with Thrive on a regular basis. He said they're looking to expand their reach by holding meetings at various locations across the community.

"We're really just trying to get more feedback from Mat-Su parents," Healy said.

Healy said they received a lot of positive feedback during the recent meeting.

"We heard a lot of good stuff about how our activities are all helping their students feel good about themselves and staying connected to the community."

For more information about Thrive Mat-Su, call 907-745-5827 or email impact@unitedwaymatsu.org.

For more information about Youth 360, call 907-373-3613 or email director@youth-360.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com