Mentoring USA has received funding from the United Way of New York and the Annie E. Casey Foundation to bring mentoring opportunities to children who are in foster care throughout New York City. This is the first mentoring program in the country to specifically address the needs of these vulnerable children.
Studies indicate that what's needed most are long-term human relationships.
This initiative will provide children and teenagers in foster care with that enduring human connection that is too often missing from their lives. We mentor children between the ages of 5-18 years old who are in foster care placements throughout New York City. The children we mentor are at risk of dropping out of school, becoming pregnant, or becoming involved in crime, or, when they age out of the system, becoming homeless. Some causes may be low self-esteem, the lack of that adequate direction and guidance which can be provided by a caring consistent adult. The mentors for the Foster Care Program are caring adults who are genuinely interested in being a positive role model for a child.