THRIVE ON! Network

THRIVE ON! shifts the power of economic development into the hands of young people and grassroots leaders — providing the resources, pathways, and infrastructure they need to

 build, lead, and transform their communities.

Across many places, young people and grassroots leaders are doing essential work—organizing, feeding neighbors, creating cultural spaces, launching local enterprises, and responding to gaps left by public systems. Too often, this work is underfunded, unsupported, or treated as temporary.

THRIVE ON! was created to change that.

We are a youth-driven, community-rooted organization building leadership pathways and practical infrastructure for community-led work. We pair paid youth leadership pathways with long-term support for grassroots leaders and local projects—so ideas, effort, and care are not extracted or short-lived, but sustained.

Rather than cycling people through short-term programs, we focus on building the conditions that allow community-led work to last, grow, and adapt over time. What makes us different:

• We support people, not just programs.

• We invest in infrastructure, not just activities.

• We bridge generations of leadership.

• We stay rooted in place.

Whether you are a young person looking for meaningful leadership opportunities, a grassroots leader seeking support, or a partner interested in building community-rooted solutions, THRIVE ON! is here to walk alongside the work.

Our Programs

Early Thriver Program

For young people to learn, lead, and build through real projects.

The Early Thriver Program is a catalyst for young leaders, encouraging them to discover their passion while creating positive change in their communities through mentorship, skill-building workshops, and hands-on service opportunities.

Three Tracks:

• YOUTH Force
  • Youth Organizations Uniting to Help (YOUTH) centers on collaborating with allied organizations to design short-term service projects that meet actual community needs. Youth jump into hands-on work, build employable life skills, and connect with a wider network of mentors, partners, and opportunities.

• Stewardship
  • A high-commitment track for youth ready to move from learning about change to actually leading it. Over seven months, Thrivers dig into social issues, sharpen transferable skills, and take responsibility for projects that matter. They work alongside mentors, build a professional portfolio, earn paid experience, and learn how to guide teams and manage community initiatives at a higher level.

• Curriculum to Community
  • A bridge between campus and real-world impact. This track partners with local colleges and universities to place students in hands-on projects connected to THRIVE ON!’s community work. Students apply what they’re learning in class to meaningful, real-life challenges while gaining experience, building relationships, and supporting grassroots change.

 Rootwork Program

Rootwork is THRIVE ON!’s incubation and infrastructure program for people and projects doing community-rooted work.

We work with individuals, groups, and organizations at any stage and any status — incorporated or not, early or established, informal or structured. What matters is that the work is rooted in community, care, and local ownership.

Rootwork does not take ownership of projects. It provides shared infrastructure so people can focus on the work itself.

Current Projects

• Early Roots Kitchen
  • Youth-powered food and workforce initiative that combines skill-building, nourishment, and leadership development. Young people gain hands-on experience in food preparation, coordination, and service while contributing to community meals and food programs.
• Pink Pantry
  • Decentralized food resource designed to support grassroots leaders in serving their communities when and where it is most needed. Rather than operating from a single site or fixed schedule, Pink Pantry equips trusted community leaders to distribute food in ways that reflect local rhythms, relationships, and realities.
• PonckHockie Market
  • Youth-led, community-based food access and local economy project rooted in dignity, affordability, and neighborhood ownership. The market directly addresses a local food desert by bringing fresh, culturally relevant food into this neighborhood in ways that respect community voice and choice.
• Kingston Digest
  • Youth-led, community-rooted publication focused on deepening people’s relationship with the local food system. Through reporting, analysis, and storytelling, young journalists explore how food, land, policy, labor, and local decision-making intersect.
    
• One Strike BACECAMPS
  • Youth-centered initiative serving primarily low-income and disenfranchised young people, using sports, mentorship, & community presence to address the impacts of adverse childhood experiences.
• L.O.U.D.
  • Latin Outreach Unity and Development - community initiative focused on strengthening connection, visbility, and opportunity within Latinx communities.