My Nonprofit Reviews

I'm a school counselor in the Nampa School District, one of the districts served by the Mentoring Network. I have seen firsthand the significant positive impacts this program has for youth who need, more than anything else, a committed positive adult in their lives. I have many things I can offer to kids: groups, individual work with me, incentive programs, assistance with coping. But for kids in certain circumstances, those things cannot substitute for the committment of another human being who says, with their weekly attendance and consistency, "you are worth my time". Many of these children have never had a person make this kind of promise to them and they've never had someone's undivided attention for a whole hour, simply because someone chooses to give it. I've seen a child's life path altered, for the better, over and over, and unbelievably quickly. Sending a message to a child like, "Simply because I care for you, I will spend my time with you every week. I will be here for you. You will be able to count on me, because I will keep my promise." That changes people in a profound way. Hearts change. Approaches to life change. Belief in others changes. Trust and hope begin to blossom. Solutions are found. Grades improve. Behavior improves. I had one child who could always name at least 3 people whose fault it was that his homework wasn't done, that he'd punched someone, that he'd cursed on the playground, etc. After 3 months of mentoring, his attitude improved and he began to say things like, "I know my grades are low. I didn't turn in my assignments. That's my fault." His whole life will be different because he is now taking responsiblity for his decisions. He will grow to be a different man. The differences seem small at first, but they are huge in terms of life trajectory. Mentoring Network makes these things possible. It is an organization run with great integrity and a heart for changing the world, one child at a time.

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