These are the moments that matter. They’re the heartbeat of TriTogether. They remind us that every hour of tutoring, every moment of encouragement adds up to something real. Something lasting. Something we’re building—together.

I really enjoyed my time as a tutor. Being part of my students’ academic journeys—and sometimes even their personal growth—showed me how much impact just one hour a week can have. So when Hannah checked in with me mid-year, I couldn’t help but ask, “What else can I do for TriTogether?” Fast forward to today, and I’m thrilled to now be part of the core team as Head of Marketing, working to strengthen our digital presence and brand awareness.

Seeing students grow in confidence and curiosity is the best reminder of why we do what we do. Thank you for being part of this little community we’re building. Every session, every referral, every conversation reminds us why this work matters.

Education, equity, and community are what we stand for. They are why we work so hard to reach the students who need support, recruit tutors with the skills and passion to help, and educate the broader community through LearnTogether and other outreach programs.

At the end of the day, these meetings remind me why we do what we do. Every student is different, and every story matters. Taking the time to connect before tutoring begins has made our program stronger, more personal, and—most importantly—more responsive to the real needs of the kids we serve.

At TriTogether, our goal is to stay with a student through the entire school year. Our tutors can vouch for me when I say that I ask numerous (probably too many!) times during the interview whether or not they can commit to that full year. These children experience so much trauma and instability, and we have the opportunity to be one steady, reliable presence in their lives.

Sharon Bryant is the CEO and Co-Founder of Foster Care Essentials, a nonprofit that provides essential items to families who open their homes to children in foster care. Over the past few months, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Sharon, and she has taught me so much about reaching the right audiences to ensure that the students who need our services actually hear about us. Thanks to her, TriTogether has been connected with countless organizations that have already helped spread the word about our work.

I don’t know if we will end the year with ten matches or thirty, but it’s clear that spreading the word and partnering with like-minded organizations has expanded our reach, both for students and tutors.

The first of anything is always an experiment, and we’re grateful to Priya for trying it out with us. Look! We learned! And that’s a win in my book. We’re also excited to have Whitney Finlinson join us next month. She’s a small business owner and volunteer child advocate, working with CASA to support children in foster care. If you’re not familiar with CASA, I’ll just say this: they’re amazing—and I encourage you to join us.

I’ve gotten used to spelling out my email on calls with partners, volunteers, and foster parents because it would be reasonable for someone to assume “try” is in our name. But that’s not how we spell it because that’s not the origin of our name. Surprised? Most people are. To be honest, it never occurred to me that it might be confusing, so here’s the explanation to set the record straight.

Reflecting on our “why”—education, community, and equity—we realized we could incorporate these values into our broader mission. With this in mind, we’re excited to introduce LearnTogether, a free speaker series featuring passionate people working in equity who want to share their knowledge and experiences with all of us. What better way to embody education, community, and equity than by coming together to learn—at no charge—and be inspired.

TriTogether’s student “recruitment” process has changed a lot over the past few years, and this year is our biggest leap yet. One major change is that we’re no longer reaching out exclusively through foster care social workers. This summer, we have expanded our efforts to include school districts, nonprofit organizations serving foster youth, and other advocates of children in foster care. To be honest, we’re still figuring out which approach will work best. I hate to admit it, but we’re basically throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks.

At the Franklin Farmers Market last week, I was honored to answer a variety of questions about volunteering with TriTogether. What do we look for? What do we expect? But what they really wanted to know was… what am I getting myself into?

I’ve been spending a lot of time reaching out to other nonprofits, especially those involved with foster care, for their words of wisdom. One that stuck out to me? Have a blog in your own voice. So, here I am!