Community Partners
Western Youth Network and Parent to Parent
The dancers of Dance Marathon support two outstanding local non-profit organizations:
WESTERN YOUTH NETWORK
Western Youth Network (WYN),
formerly known as Watauga Youth Network, recognizes a simple truth. Growing up is hard, especially during those pivotal years from 5th through 10th grade. Our job isn't to tell kids the answers. It's to help them find their own answers. Who they are. Who they can be. And what choices they'll make to get there. Our role is to dare them to discover what's possible.
WYN was established in 1985 to address gaps in service for youth in Watauga County. Now, some 20 years later, we serve hundreds of youth and families each year in Watauga, Avery and Ashe counties.
As a non-profit in today's challenging economic times, we are funded by government and foundation grants, individual and corporate donations, and some fee-based services.
Learn more about Western Youth Network by visiting
PARENT TO PARENT
Begun in 1988, Parent-to-Parent is sponsored locally by Appalachian State University and the Children’s Developmental Services Agency of the Blue Ridge. We are an affiliate of the Family Support Network of North Carolina.
Our central office is located in Boone at 2359 Highway 105 in the Children’s Developmental Services Agency of the Blue Ridge.
We serve Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey Counties. All services are free and confidential.
Parent to Parent
Learn more about Parent to Parent at
matches families one-to-one with a trained, volunteer family for emotional support and information; sponsor support groups and offers additional support programs. Specifically Parent to Parent serves families who have children and youth with behavioral and emotional challenges, children and youth with difficulties learning, hearing, seeing, moving or speaking, children and youth with chronic illnesses, high risk or premature infants or grief due to the loss of a child or infant.