Future Link was featured in Bethesda Magazine's Annual Guide to Giving.
Read more.
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OUR GOAL
To help our young adults successfully transition into adulthood and achieve self-sufficiency.
WHAT WE DO
Future Link changes the destination of young adults, ages 17-25. We teach them how to pursue a pathway towards their educational and career goals and we show them the direct connection between these two areas.
WHO WE SERVE
Future Link serves at-risk young adults including those aging out of foster care, high school drop-outs, first generation college students, and those who may have experienced trauma or academic disruption. Many lack adult support, resources and knowledge to get ahead.
HOW WE DO IT
Through a two-year program, Future Link provides the tools, skills, resources and professional connections these young adults need to build successful and sustainable futures.
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Board of Trustees
President
Ken Weiner, PhD
Montgomery College
Consultant, Assessment and Outcomes Measurement
Vice President
Leigh Henry, JD
Watkins Mill Town Center
Secretary/Treasurer
Strathmore Hall Foundation
Monica R. Brown, Ed.D.
Montgomery College
Yamu Cham
Freddie Mac
and Future Link Alumna
Jeanne Ellinport
Ellinport Consulting
Peter J. Henry, JD, CPA
BP Realty Investments, LLC
Craig Rice
Montgomery County Councilmember
Shane Robinson
Maryland House of Delegates
Coulter Companies
Gary Rosen, CPA
Grant Thornton
William Schlossenberg
Universities at Shady Grove
Rebecca Smondrowski
Montgomery County
Board of Education
Shelley Spencer, JD
Entrepeneur
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STAFF
Mindi Jacobson, MPH
Executive Director
240.393.9443
Kristin Trible
Director of Student Support Services and Community Engagement
ktrible@futurelinkmd.org
301.346.3463
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Future Link Friend,
As Thanksgiving approaches and we focus on our blessings, we thank you for your support, advice, and referrals over the past year. We just celebrated our fifth anniversary serving over 225 young adults. Without Future Link in their lives, these students might never have received the resources and guidance needed to become independent, contributing members of our community.
Thank you for supporting our mission.
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Carlos' Story: I was heading down a dark path
During the lonely days in a local detention center, Carlos realized that if he did not change, he would end up dead. A few years earlier, his family had gone back to El Salvador for a vacation. On that trip, Carlos witnessed the murder of his father during a violent carjacking. Carlos returned to the U.S., resuming his high school education but traumatized and in pain. He took to alcohol in an attempt to deal with his grief which led to his
 | | Carlos Perdomo telling his story to the Montgomery County Council |
incarceration. Once released, Carlos tried to function normally. He tried working while attending Montgomery College. It was too much for him to handle and he dropped out. Constantly searching for work in landscaping or construction, Carlos was living paycheck to paycheck and season to season. Then a friend referred him to Future Link. Carlos participated in the Future Link Fall 2010 class. During the seminar, Carlos set a short-term goal of taking two classes at Montgomery College the following spring. Future Link provided scholarship funding and a mentor. Learning study skills he had never know, another year went by and Carlos was informed he was on the Dean's List. Concerned, he called his mentor who assured him it was a very good thing. Carlos' life didn't immediately turn around once he joined Future Link. When he failed a class and was no longer eligible for scholarship funds, he was ready to quit. With the support of Future Link and his mentor, Carlos discovered that giving up was not an option. He passed the course the second time around and will be receiving his associate degree in the spring. His next goal is a bachelor's degree in construction management. In the meantime, he continues working for the Montgomery County Recreation Department, a job that resulted from a Future Link internship opportunity. Carlos reflected recently on his journey: |
"I'm so happy I found Future Link when I did...I was heading down a dark path which I know I was not going to come out of. A friend of mine who I used to hang out with was killed 2 days ago. It brought tears to my eyes when I heard the news, but I haven't seen the guy in years ever since I decided to turn my life around."
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Future Link will be there to support Carlos and other youth in similar situations. He has become a program ambassador for Future Link, representing the potential of all Montgomery County young adults with a story similar to his.
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Future Link Honored on Fifth Anniversary
 | | The Montgomery County Council honors Future Link on their fifth anniversary in October 2013. |
The Montgomery County Council presented Future Link with a proclamation in celebration of their fifth anniversary serving county youth. Attended by several board members, staff, and alumni, the proclamation recognized the valuable work we do to ensure many of our county youth achieve self-sufficiency. We thank Future Link Board member and County Councilmember Craig Rice for his continued support of our program.
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Our Fall Semester
 | | Fall Seminar students |
This fall, Future Link enrolled 30 students in our Self-Advocacy and Career Development Seminar. The students represent the various needs within our community and include youth from the Pre-Release Center, many ESOL and first generation students, and several foster care youth. We introduced a revised, updated curriculum and new technology which the students used to access online career assessments and conduct research on their career interests.
 | | Fall Seminar Students |
We also welcomed Montgomery College Adjunct Professor Layla Hashemi to join long time Future Link instructor Linda Youngentob in our growing cadre of seminar facilitators. Both Layla and Linda are committed to the program and its mission. We could not achieve our outcomes without their passion, understanding, and talents in the classroom.
3L Academy - A Partnership Serving Youth in Foster Care
Under a collaborative,  unique grant partnership funded by the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation, Future Link is one of five organizations working to provide wrap around services for identified youth currently in or transitioning out of foster care. Grant partners include the Center for Adoption Support and Education (C.A.S.E.), Crittenton Services, Latin American Youth Center/Maryland Multicultural Youth Center (LAYC/MMYC) and YMCA Youth and Family Service (YFS). We formed the 3L Academy - Live-Learn-Lead. Each organization is providing their respective talents and resources to support approximately 30 young adults. Future Link has enjoyed working with many 3L Academy students this fall and looks forward to serving additional Academy students during the spring semester.
Gratitude to Career Professionals Who Gave Their Time
Once again, the professional community stepped up with incredible enthusiasm, commitment, and support for our students. We offer a heartfelt thank you to all those who met with our students and allowed themselves to be interviewed about their careers. Although not the purpose of our informational interviews, a few of our students obtained employment or internships in their field of interest following their meetings with career professionals. Some of the organizations where our students conducted their informational interviews included:
Career Immersion Day - A Smashing Success
The Aquilino Cancer Center & Shady Grove Adventist Hospital
 | | Future Link students visit Shady Grove Adventist Hospital |
We thank Future Link mentor Andrew Bridge and Shady Grove Adventist Hospital for hosting our students for a career immersion day. The students toured the hospital as well as the new, state-of-the-art Aquilino Cancer Center, gaining valuable insight about in-demand careers from knowledgeable professionals. Most inspiring was the vision behind the Aquilino Cancer Center where our students came to understand the philosophy of treating the person rather than just the disease.
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Ready to Help a Young Adult Navigate a Pathway? 
Future Link is about to graduate 25 young adults from our seminar program. We are in need of mentors willing to meet with a student on a regular basis to advise, listen, and gently prod the student to pursue realistic goals and remain on track. Please help us recruit professionals who could provide that steady, stable relationship by referring them to our Director of Student Support, Kristin Trible, at 301.346.3463 or ktrible@futurelinkmd.org
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As always, we welcome your feedback. Please contact me for additional information about Future Link, our programs, and our students. Thank you for your continued support and best wishes for a happy, healthy holiday season!
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