Volleyball, crafts and carne asada – what began as a community picnic 12 years ago has evolved into a full-blown Summer Blast Reunion. More than 150 community members turned out for the party at Crown Point Park to catch up with friends, make new connections and keep cool near the water as the mercury climbed past 80 degrees. 

The crowd was full of familiar faces: young people from JIT services like College Bound, Rise to Resilience, and Pathways to Financial Power. Participants called to each other across the lawn and clustered beside the water to catch up. There were newcomers too, curious about what Just in Time is all about, nervous, but quickly absorbed into the crowd. 

“This is my first Just in Time event. I was so nervous walking up by myself. I was actually shaking,” laughed JIT Participant, Shelby Johnson, “But everyone was so friendly! I’ve already met so many people and even exchanged phone numbers.”

Young people across the country report rising feelings of loneliness, anxiety and depression. In the foster youth community, an estimated 80% grapple with mental health challenges.

For young people like Summer, who has been a part of the Just in Time community since she was 18, the JIT community feels like a second family. “They always invite me to things and ask me to get involved. I never had that kind of enthusiasm when I was a kid, to want to do things with my mom or family, so it’s like, these people really want me to just be myself and show up and they’ll do the rest.”