Every day at Project Patch, we receive calls from parents at their wit’s ends who are taking the difficult step of finding help for their struggling son or daughter. They don’t know where to turn and are often scared, embarrassed, exhausted, and feel alone in the overwhelming process – and it has only just begun.
. . . the referrals we love the most are from family, friends, or alumni of Patch.
From that conversation, they are directed to a first-step survey to share an overview of what is going on with their teen. After that, they schedule a phone call with our admissions team to discuss the situation, and together, they determine if Project Patch is the best fit for their teen. If not, our team offers them other resources that might better fit their child’s needs. If yes, they start the challenging process of completing the full application, getting references, requesting doctor’s notes, submitting school records, and, if needed, applying for financial assistance. (Note: 100% of applicants apply for financial help.) Once all of this is complete, the final step is an interview with the teen, who may or may not already know about the potential placement. By this point, a parent often feels like a “failure,” as shared by the parent of a former client, but there is hope.
Our statistics show that often, a parent isn’t going through the journey alone. Of the 1200+ applications over the past four years, less than 25% have found Patch through a web search alone. In comparison, almost 75% have been referred to us from various other sources. This referral might come from a residential treatment center search engine (such as The Envoy Group), another facility they have been talking with, a pastor or other church member, or a doctor or counselor. However, the referrals we love the most are from family, friends, or alumni of Patch. These individuals who personally know Patch and offer us as a resource to those searching for help made up almost 25% of our referrals during that time.
This is where you come in. If you are reading this, you know about Patch, and you too can be the hope a parent is looking for during a very dark time in their life. The opportunity to share about us might come while you are talking to a family member, a friend at church, a colleague at work, or a fellow parent at your child’s school. If you see the need, and they are open to hearing about options, please consider sharing about Patch and walking with them during the arduous journey.
Some things you can say or do to help:
Acknowledge what a difficult situation they are in as a parent.
Tell them there is hope.
Say that you know someplace that might be able to help.
Remind them that they are not alone (1 in 3 teens will struggle with mental health by the time they are 18).
Share our website, www.projectpatch.org with them.
Most importantly, be a good listener, a caring shoulder, and a supportive confidante during this overwhelming process. Your words and actions may be just what they need to find the help their teen so desperately needs – and that is where the healing begins.
Snowboarding with the BoysHot Springs with the BoysSkiing with the GirlsPainting with the Girls
SENIOR PROJECTS
Project Patch is nestled among towering evergreen trees on the banks of a peaceful river in the mountains of Idaho in the small community of Garden Valley – population 475. Not only is the location amazing, but so are the people.
Like many high schools in the United States, seniors at Garden Valley High School are required to complete a Senior Project before graduation. For two years, Project Patch has been the lucky beneficiary of projects by some amazing local seniors.
Stephanie Ross, our Youth Program Executive Director, stated, “I love that for the past two years, we have had a local youth who took an interest in our Patch teens.” Last year, Layne VanDyk hosted a father-daughter dance with the proceeds donated to Patch. This year, Zade Thompson chose to share his musical talents with our teens during worship.
Zade believes God works through music and wanted to “get the spirit moving in the kids and be a good example to them.” He hoped to change their lives in a small way and get them to see how fun and fulfilling it can be to follow Jesus.
When Zade isn’t playing the guitar, you might find him writing music, playing the piano, learning a new instrument, winning a state basketball championship, or playing various other sports. Whatever he is doing, he wants to “always be serving and glorifying God throughout his life,” and we think his senior project was an amazing start to doing just that.
SEMINAR RECAP
Heidi attended a seminar by Chuck Hagele at the Michigan Camp Meeting in 2017. She shared recordings of his seminar over the years and wondered whether her church, Living Hope Seventh-day Adventist Community Church, could put on a weekend seminar. She partnered with Lezlie, a friend leading family ministries, and Teenie and Mark Finley, who lead HopeLives365, a ministry that presents Christ-centered biblical truths in a practical and relevant way.
The church board agreed to cover travel expenses and an offering. They printed invitation postcards which the church shared around their community. They put posters on bulletin boards, and shared social media posts and videos.
The theme of the seminar was “Growing Up Tech Smart,” and it focused on helping parents and kids learn about technology risks while discovering tools to own rather than be owned by technology. Topics included preparing kids for challenges in life, the threats of pornography, video game addiction, and compulsive social media use. Chuck shared with teens on Saturday morning about their brains. His sermon focused on how God leads us to transformation. After the potluck, the topic was smartphones, and the workshop ended with a session on tools for recovery.
Heidi and her team helped their community and helped us share the good news about Project Patch in a new area. Would you consider hosting a seminar in your church? Learn more at www.projectpatch.org/Seminar
GROUP THERAPY AT PATCH
Teens enter Project Patch with preconceived ideas about group therapy. They imagine sitting in a big circle and using an awkward formula to introduce themselves and admit their problems. Something like, “Hi, I’m Dillon, and I have an anger problem.” They quickly learn that group therapy is much different and much more impactful.
Our Clinical Director Win leading a group with the boys
In addition to individual and family counseling, each week, teens attend three different types of groups: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Groups, Issues Groups, and our newest type, Nurture Groups.
DBT Groups are like a class and focus on learning and practicing skills to help with emotion regulation. Over a 26-week period, teens learn about their emotions and ways to make better decisions when experiencing big feelings or conflict with others.
As the name implies, Issues Groups focus on issues the teens and their groups are struggling with. The therapist leads as teens present on counseling assignments, behavior concerns, home visits, interpersonal conflicts, and group dynamics. Issues Group is an excellent place for teens to learn from and help each other.
Be Safe • Be Respectful • Be Responsible • Be Helpful • Be Trustworthy
The newest group at Project Patch is our weekly Nurture Groups, which are all about giving and receiving care, learning positive and effective communication, and other life skills in a fun way. The emphasis is on having a fun and interactive experience while focusing on awareness of self and others.
Activities include an “Engine Plate Check-in,” where teens rate how they are running (hot, cold, just right) and review techniques to regulate temperature. Band-Aids are used to talk about hurts and receiving care. As a teen shares their hurts, another teen can respond by giving them a Band-Aid. Before long, the teens look like they survived a horrendous accident because of all their Band- Aids. And a favorite activity involves candy, in which teens demonstrate that they can ask respectfully for something (the candy). Occasionally, they may need to accept a “no” while maintaining respectful communication despite their disappointment.
Every session of Nurture Groups uses these playful and fun ways to learn our core life skills: be safe, be respectful, be responsible, be helpful, and be trustworthy. While the focus is on fun, the outcome is that teens learn new things and begin using the skills as they interact with peers and staff.
While these different group therapy sessions may or may not be conducted sitting in a big circle, there definitely won’t be any awkward introductions. Teens will learn various important life lessons and skills . . . and maybe even earn an occasional piece of candy.
We are excited to welcome Maranatha Volunteers International back onto campus this spring! This year, we will be focusing on the following projects during what many have called a “life-changing” experience:
Girls’ Dorm Flooring – We are replacing the carpeting in the girls’ dorm with laminate flooring.
Exterior work on Staff Housing Rental Units – We have two duplexes, a triplex, and two double-wide trailers that need to be painted and soffits repaired.
Shop Repair – The maintenance shop awning and roof needs structural repair and patching.
If you are 18 years or older and would like to join us for 1-day, 1-week, or the whole project, get more information and sign up at www.projectpatch.org/Maranatha
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1st to THURSDAY, MAY 2ND – 9AM PT/10AM MT
Help make a difference for our teens during this 24-hour online event! All funds will go towards recreational activities, such as camping, skiing, rafting, trips to the zoo, or a day at the pool.
This edition of PatchWorks reminds me just how many people are involved in helping our teens. As we celebrate 40 years of ministry, we also celebrate the thousands of people who’ve joined us, whether as donors, prayer partners, referrers, volunteers, encouragers, or seminar hosts.
You’ve read about church members who worked with their pastor to put on a weekend seminar aimed at helping teens and parents in Virginia. So, it won’t surprise us when we get a call from a church member’s neighbor in Virginia who needs help.
As we celebrate 40 years of ministry, we also celebrate the thousands of people who’ve joined us . . .
You’ve read about a teen using his senior project to help “get the spirit moving” in the teens at Patch. Another teen inspired him, and now several others plan on using their senior projects to benefit teens at Patch.
Might you consider getting involved in one (or more) of the following ways:
Join our Prayer Team for a monthly message from our chaplain, as well as prayer requests and praises for our teens, staff, families, and supporters. Join at www.projectpatch.org/PrayerTeam
Follow us and share our posts on Facebook (www.facebook.com/projectpatch) and Instagram (www.instagram.com/project_patch).
Volunteer with our next Maranatha Volunteers International project coming up in May. Get more information at www.projectpatch.org/Maranatha
Make a financial contribution that allows us to serve teens who desperately need care but whose families can’t afford it. Donate at www.projectpatch.org/Donate
Consider working full-time with our teens and being part of our incredible team. It isn’t an easy job, but it makes an eternal difference. Apply at www.projectpatch.org/Jobs
SAVE THE DATE
It is the 40th anniversary of Project Patch! We’d love for you to celebrate this milestone with us and commit to faithfully serving for the next forty. Whether you are a longtime donor, a former staff member, an alumni, or their family, come join us at one or all of the festivities!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH – Staff Reunion in Garden Valley, Idaho
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH – 40th Celebration BBQ in Garden Valley, Idaho
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3RD – 40th Celebration Brunch in Vancouver, Washington
If you have Patch memories, pictures, or stories to share for the celebration, please visit www.projectpatch.org/Memories
For those who prefer to give toward a specific project, the following list contains items that are needed, yet are not a part of the operating budget. Please make sure to note on your gift if you would like it designated for a specific Wish List item or the highest need Wish List item. If the item has already been purchased, we will contact you for further instructions.
To donate via credit card: please call our office at 360-690-8495 or use the button below To donate via check: please mail to Project Patch, PO Box 820209, Vancouver WA 98682
PatchWorks Spring 2024
WHERE DO REFERRALS TO PROJECT PATCH COME FROM?
Every day at Project Patch, we receive calls from parents at their wit’s ends who are taking the difficult step of finding help for their struggling son or daughter. They don’t know where to turn and are often scared, embarrassed, exhausted, and feel alone in the overwhelming process – and it has only just begun.
. . . the referrals we love the most are from family, friends, or alumni of Patch.
From that conversation, they are directed to a first-step survey to share an overview of what is going on with their teen. After that, they schedule a phone call with our admissions team to discuss the situation, and together, they determine if Project Patch is the best fit for their teen. If not, our team offers them other resources that might better fit their child’s needs. If yes, they start the challenging process of completing the full application, getting references, requesting doctor’s notes, submitting school records, and, if needed, applying for financial assistance. (Note: 100% of applicants apply for financial help.) Once all of this is complete, the final step is an interview with the teen, who may or may not already know about the potential placement. By this point, a parent often feels like a “failure,” as shared by the parent of a former client, but there is hope.
Our statistics show that often, a parent isn’t going through the journey alone. Of the 1200+ applications over the past four years, less than 25% have found Patch through a web search alone. In comparison, almost 75% have been referred to us from various other sources. This referral might come from a residential treatment center search engine (such as The Envoy Group), another facility they have been talking with, a pastor or other church member, or a doctor or counselor. However, the referrals we love the most are from family, friends, or alumni of Patch. These individuals who personally know Patch and offer us as a resource to those searching for help made up almost 25% of our referrals during that time.
This is where you come in. If you are reading this, you know about Patch, and you too can be the hope a parent is looking for during a very dark time in their life. The opportunity to share about us might come while you are talking to a family member, a friend at church, a colleague at work, or a fellow parent at your child’s school. If you see the need, and they are open to hearing about options, please consider sharing about Patch and walking with them during the arduous journey.
Some things you can say or do to help:
Most importantly, be a good listener, a caring shoulder, and a supportive confidante during this overwhelming process. Your words and actions may be just what they need to find the help their teen so desperately needs – and that is where the healing begins.
YOUTH PROGRAM HAPPENINGS
SENIOR PROJECTS
Project Patch is nestled among towering evergreen trees on the banks of a peaceful river in the mountains of Idaho in the small community of Garden Valley – population 475. Not only is the location amazing, but so are the people.
Like many high schools in the United States, seniors at Garden Valley High School are required to complete a Senior Project before graduation. For two years, Project Patch has been the lucky beneficiary of projects by some amazing local seniors.
Stephanie Ross, our Youth Program Executive Director, stated, “I love that for the past two years, we have had a local youth who took an interest in our Patch teens.” Last year, Layne VanDyk hosted a father-daughter dance with the proceeds donated to Patch. This year, Zade Thompson chose to share his musical talents with our teens during worship.
Zade believes God works through music and wanted to “get the spirit moving in the kids and be a good example to them.” He hoped to change their lives in a small way and get them to see how fun and fulfilling it can be to follow Jesus.
When Zade isn’t playing the guitar, you might find him writing music, playing the piano, learning a new instrument, winning a state basketball championship, or playing various other sports. Whatever he is doing, he wants to “always be serving and glorifying God throughout his life,” and we think his senior project was an amazing start to doing just that.
SEMINAR RECAP
Heidi attended a seminar by Chuck Hagele at the Michigan Camp Meeting in 2017. She shared recordings of his seminar over the years and wondered whether her church, Living Hope Seventh-day Adventist Community Church, could put on a weekend seminar. She partnered with Lezlie, a friend leading family ministries, and Teenie and Mark Finley, who lead HopeLives365, a ministry that presents Christ-centered biblical truths in a practical and relevant way.
The church board agreed to cover travel expenses and an offering. They printed invitation postcards which the church shared around their community. They put posters on bulletin boards, and shared social media posts and videos.
The theme of the seminar was “Growing Up Tech Smart,” and it focused on helping parents and kids learn about technology risks while discovering tools to own rather than be owned by technology. Topics included preparing kids for challenges in life, the threats of pornography, video game addiction, and compulsive social media use. Chuck shared with teens on Saturday morning about their brains. His sermon focused on how God leads us to transformation. After the potluck, the topic was smartphones, and the workshop ended with a session on tools for recovery.
Heidi and her team helped their community and helped us share the good news about Project Patch in a new area. Would you consider hosting a seminar in your church? Learn more at www.projectpatch.org/Seminar
GROUP THERAPY AT PATCH
Teens enter Project Patch with preconceived ideas about group therapy. They imagine sitting in a big circle and using an awkward formula to introduce themselves and admit their problems. Something like, “Hi, I’m Dillon, and I have an anger problem.” They quickly learn that group therapy is much different and much more impactful.
In addition to individual and family counseling, each week, teens attend three different types of groups: Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Groups, Issues Groups, and our newest type, Nurture Groups.
DBT Groups are like a class and focus on learning and practicing skills to help with emotion regulation. Over a 26-week period, teens learn about their emotions and ways to make better decisions when experiencing big feelings or conflict with others.
As the name implies, Issues Groups focus on issues the teens and their groups are struggling with. The therapist leads as teens present on counseling assignments, behavior concerns, home visits, interpersonal conflicts, and group dynamics. Issues Group is an excellent place for teens to learn from and help each other.
Be Safe • Be Respectful • Be Responsible • Be Helpful • Be Trustworthy
The newest group at Project Patch is our weekly Nurture Groups, which are all about giving and receiving care, learning positive and effective communication, and other life skills in a fun way. The emphasis is on having a fun and interactive experience while focusing on awareness of self and others.
Activities include an “Engine Plate Check-in,” where teens rate how they are running (hot, cold, just right) and review techniques to regulate temperature. Band-Aids are used to talk about hurts and receiving care. As a teen shares their hurts, another teen can respond by giving them a Band-Aid. Before long, the teens look like they survived a horrendous accident because of all their Band- Aids. And a favorite activity involves candy, in which teens demonstrate that they can ask respectfully for something (the candy). Occasionally, they may need to accept a “no” while maintaining respectful communication despite their disappointment.
Every session of Nurture Groups uses these playful and fun ways to learn our core life skills: be safe, be respectful, be responsible, be helpful, and be trustworthy. While the focus is on fun, the outcome is that teens learn new things and begin using the skills as they interact with peers and staff.
While these different group therapy sessions may or may not be conducted sitting in a big circle, there definitely won’t be any awkward introductions. Teens will learn various important life lessons and skills . . . and maybe even earn an occasional piece of candy.
MARANATHA – MAY 22nd to june 7th
We are excited to welcome Maranatha Volunteers International back onto campus this spring! This year, we will be focusing on the following projects during what many have called a “life-changing” experience:
If you are 18 years or older and would like to join us for 1-day, 1-week, or the whole project, get more information and sign up at www.projectpatch.org/Maranatha
GIVING DAY 2024
WEDNESDAY, MAY 1st to THURSDAY, MAY 2ND – 9AM PT/10AM MT
Help make a difference for our teens during this 24-hour online event! All funds will go towards recreational activities, such as camping, skiing, rafting, trips to the zoo, or a day at the pool.
www.projectpatch.org/GivingDay
PIECING IT TOGETHER By Chuck Hagele, CEO
This edition of PatchWorks reminds me just how many people are involved in helping our teens. As we celebrate 40 years of ministry, we also celebrate the thousands of people who’ve joined us, whether as donors, prayer partners, referrers, volunteers, encouragers, or seminar hosts.
You’ve read about church members who worked with their pastor to put on a weekend seminar aimed at helping teens and parents in Virginia. So, it won’t surprise us when we get a call from a church member’s neighbor in Virginia who needs help.
As we celebrate 40 years of ministry, we also celebrate the thousands of people who’ve joined us . . .
You’ve read about a teen using his senior project to help “get the spirit moving” in the teens at Patch. Another teen inspired him, and now several others plan on using their senior projects to benefit teens at Patch.
Might you consider getting involved in one (or more) of the following ways:
SAVE THE DATE
It is the 40th anniversary of Project Patch! We’d love for you to celebrate this milestone with us and commit to faithfully serving for the next forty. Whether you are a longtime donor, a former staff member, an alumni, or their family, come join us at one or all of the festivities!
If you have Patch memories, pictures, or stories to share for the celebration, please visit www.projectpatch.org/Memories
PROJECT PATCH WISH LIST
For those who prefer to give toward a specific project, the following list contains items that are needed, yet are not a part of the operating budget. Please make sure to note on your gift if you would like it designated for a specific Wish List item or the highest need Wish List item. If the item has already been purchased, we will contact you for further instructions.
YOUTH PROGRAM
Updated March 2024
COST EACH
AMOUNT NEEDED
** These items can also be purchased directly from Amazon at www.projectpatch.org/AmazonWishList
To donate via credit card: please call our office at 360-690-8495 or use the button below
To donate via check: please mail to Project Patch, PO Box 820209, Vancouver WA 98682
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