Boone County Mentoring Partnership Receives $7,800 Women of Impact Grant
During the 2020 first quarter Women of Impact meeting, Alisha Reeves, Mentoring Program Director for the Boone County Mentoring Partnership (BCMP), shared the impact Boone County Mentoring Partnership makes in the lives of Boone County youth. The members of the Women of Impact (WoI) philanthropic giving group brought their passion to support local nonprofits together and voted BCMP as the 2020 first quarter grantee.
The Boone County Mentoring Partnership started in 2009 with a grant from the Jay Martin Underprivileged Children’s Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation of Boone County. BCMP develops the life skills and educational achievement of local youth, by ensuring they are connected with a caring and supportive adult who can help them realize their dreams and potential. BCMP currently provides three programs:
The Mentoring Program matches young people from all over Boone County who can benefit by having another positive adult role model with an adult volunteer mentor. BCMP matches according to personalities, strengths, needs, and geographical proximity.
The Youth Assistance Program proactively and preventatively connects Boone County young people and families who may be struggling in at least one area, or experiencing an overwhelming life situation inhibiting them from reaching goals, with resources to help them be responsible, productive community members.
The Graduation Coach Program at Lebanon High School identifies students at greatest risk of not earning their diploma and provides individualized accountability, direction, and support, to ensure they continue on the path of graduating.
The Women of Impact grant funds will support the efforts of providing training and support for the mentor/youth matches, and increase support to the families through the Youth Assistance Program.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the BCMP team has re-oriented to support the youth and fulfill their organizational mission. Matt Wilson, Executive Director for BCMP, told us, “We are focusing on what the youth are lacking right now, in regard to socialization and relationships, and how critical those play in the overall health of people”. BCMP came up with ideas and activities for mentors and mentees to do while not physically together. They are encouraging mentors to be in contact via phone, text Zoom, FaceTime, etc., at least a couple times each week to check in on mentees, as well as encouraging mentees to be physically active during this time.
Youth who have a mentor are 55% MORE LIKELY to maintain a better attitude toward school and enroll in college.
Mentored youth are 46% LESS LIKELY than peers to start using illegal drugs and 27% LESS LIKELY to drink alcohol.
Youth are 81% MORE LIKELY to participate in sports or extra-curricular activities when they have an active mentor.
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF BOONE COUNTY
Since 1991, the Community Foundation of Boone County has granted over $25 million from its various funds to nonprofit organizations and programs working to solve critical challenges in Boone County. Through the generosity of donors, the Foundation currently holds over $25.5 million in assets and awards an average of $1 million back into the local community each year. In the past 27 years, we have worked with donors to create permanent funds for charitable giving. The establishment and growth of permanent endowment funds will strengthen Boone County for generations to come.