Mentoring with Kids Hope USA
Mentoring with Kids Hope USA
March 18, 2021
Quite a Task Ahead
COVID has been hard on everyone, but it has been hard on at-risk children. What does it mean for a child to be “at-risk” anyways? The short answer would be that at-risk kids have something in their life that could prevent them from transitioning successfully into adulthood. Poverty, behavior problems, homelessness, traumatic situations, and other factors can all add up to whether or not a child will be able to be financially, emotionally, physically, and vocationally stable once they grow up.
DCFS calls have gone down since COVID began in America. That does not mean there are any fewer cases of neglect, abuse, or unsafe situations occurring, it just means that the normally mandated reporters are not seeing children as often or even at all.
Enter Kids Hope USA.
Kids Hope the USA has mentored and connected with young students in one on one caring relationships for 25 years.
Annette Forster is the Regional Director for this area for Kids Hope USA and works in connection with Christ Community Church. She helps churches and schools get connected to help kids.
“I continue to hear from school administrators how the trauma is compounding with the kiddos who are already at risk. The schools have quite a task ahead of them as they start the new school year in the fall. Kids Hope the USA is ready to help meet the need for what lies ahead for these kids.”
Yes! Some of these children are going to need mentors MORE THAN EVER!
Mentoring with Kids Hope the USA
There are three ways that Kids Hope is still able to help children right now: In-person mentoring, pen pal mentoring, and online mentoring.
“We now offer online mentoring, and we are getting really good feedback from the schools who have implemented it this past school year. I think post-pandemic online mentoring will be a wonderful option as an addition to in-person mentoring for all our programs across the country! We will be able, together, to reach more kids as more mentors will be able to participate through this new platform.”
When students go through a year of mentoring with Kids Hope, there is a clear improvement! They improve in socio/emotional competency, educational success, and they also improve their attitude toward risky behaviors.
It benefits everyone! Almost every child that goes through the mentoring program promotes to their next grade. Many volunteers grow in their faith and their relationship with their church. Teachers say that there is a clear improvement in a child’s behavior, academics, attendance, and overall attitude when they participate in mentoring!
With classes increasing in size, lower budgets, and other factors, one on one attention is so valuable. So investing in these little lives is so important.
Recently Kids Hope USA in connection with Christ Community Church was able to do a coat and book drive for McCleery Elementary in Aurora. Last summer, CCC volunteers helped clean up McCleery with lots of yard and playground work. Christ Community’s Aurora Campus also created Valentine Appreciation Gifts for the entire staff!
As we hope to fully return to “normal” in the fall, you can help be a friend to children. We need people of the church to come to walk alongside kids to ensure that they have the best future possible!
