Spring Forward Reception Recap
May 13, 2026
Spring Forward: Building A Future Where Prevention Comes First
There’s a particular kind of energy when people realize they share a conviction and a passion to make change. That’s what filled the top of Seattle’s Smith Tower on Wednesday, as roughly 50 suppporters, partners, and community leaders gathered for Everstrong’s Spring Forward reception – many meeting for the first time.
A Room Built on Shared Belief
Christina from the Robins Nest Family Foundation welcomed the group with honesty, speaking from the place where most of us feel the weight of this work – our personal experiences and our concern for children. She shared that she and her family don’t just consider themselves donors – they are partners, all in with Everstrong on making prevention a priority.
Sarabeth followed by sharing the conviction that guides Everstrong’s work: prevention is not only possible, but essential if we hope to truly end trafficking and exploitation. She painted a clear-eyed vision of what meaningful, population-level change could look like and why this moment presents a rare opportunity to build it.
Then Jim took the floor.
A philanthropist and longtime supporter, Jim shared that he and his wife recently decided to double their already substantial giving to Everstrong – and to make it multi-year. They did so out of a belief in the team and in the moment, and an understanding that the work requires continuity made possible by long-term support.
Then he offered an unexpected metaphor: E=mc2
As Jim explained, change requires energy. Everstrong already has momentum: the right idea, at the right time, with the right team. What’s needed now is mass – the financial investment that transforms momentum into lasting impact.
The room understood immediately.
Jim also shared exciting news that is still in early conversation stages: a developing connection with the Carter Center and its human rights teams, reflecting the growing national credibility behind Everstrong’s prevention work.
What Everstrong is Building
One of the questions we heard repeatedly from attendees new to Everstrong’s work was simple and important: What exactly are you building?
Great question.
At the center of Everstrong’s work is the Everstrong Prevention Portal, launched in November 2025 to provide accessible, research-informed prevention resources. The Portal is a free online hub – a centralized library of expert-vetted lesson plans, conversation starters, and practical tools designed for the adults best positioned to keep young people safe: teachers, coaches, school counselors, healthcare professionals, and parents.
The Portal exists because many adults who care deeply about keeping young people safe simply don’t know where to begin. Everstrong removes that uncertainty by offering practical, immediately usable resources. It gives educators lesson plans they can use tomorrow. It gives parents language for difficult but necessary conversations. It gives youth-serving professionals prevention frameworks they can immediately put into practice.
In just six months, the Prevention Portal is already:
- Active in 25 U.S. states
- Capable of reaching approximately 74,000 youth
- Supporting schools, educators, and organizations with tools focused on healthy relationships, online safety, consent, help-seeking, and digital risk awareness
And this is only the beginning.
Supporting Survivors While Building Prevention
Sarabeth also highlighted the essential support Everstrong continues to provide for survivors, even as the organization works toward a future where fewer people need those services at all.
Through the Ginny Fund and Empowerment Fund, Everstrong provides direct assistance to survivors pursuing safety, stability, education, and long-term independence.
So far this year:
- 45 grants have been distributed through the Ginny Fund
- An additional 10 grants are currently in process
- The average grant amount is approximately $1,000
- And applications are currently being reviewed for education and career support through the Empowerment Fund.
These funds help survivors access housing support, transportation, education, career development, and other critical needs – building blocks for short term stability and long-term independence.
An Evening Defined by Optimism
Many attendees joined Spring Forward for the first time, arriving curious to better understand both the problem and the solution. By the end of the evening, introductions had turned into meaningful conversations and a shared belief that prevention is possible.
For too long, the anti-trafficking field has focused primarily on responding after exploitation has already occurred. Everstrong is working upstream – building scalable prevention tools designed for the environments young people navigate every day, especially online.
As Sarabeth shared during the event:
“We’re not asking people to respond out of fear or emotion. We’re asking them to respond because they believe a different future is possible.”
Turning Optimism into Action
Everstrong currently operates with an annual budget of approximately $1 million and maintains a Platinum rating through Candid, reflecting a commitment to transparency, accountability, and measurable impact.
If you were unable to attend Spring Forward but would like to learn more about Everstrong’s work – or help expand prevention efforts nationwide – we would welcome the opportunity to connect.
