More Than Enough

For a child in foster care, who has one parent in prison and the other living a life of drug addiction on the streets, the foster care system is necessary. That service, along with publicly funded mental health treatment, school and free lunches are essential to meet the child’s basic needs. But if you add a Great Life mentor, the deeper needs of the child can be generously met.

Desi knew other girls who had received their own personal mentor from Great Life Mentoring, so she whole-heartedly told her therapist that she would like one, too. Due to the high numbers of children needing mentors, and the rare few who volunteer, Desi waited almost a year before her dream came true. She cried when she learned that a mentor, Diana, had chosen her!

Great Life Mentoring carefully screens and trains volunteers to be mentors. Its process ensures that volunteers are a right fit for the program and will enhance the lives of children facing adversity. Once a suitable mentor is ready to match, they have the opportunity to choose from a number of children who are waiting. The program works to secure compatible matches that will be retained for a least one year. 

And then it starts—the bonding and building of a healthy relationship between a mentor and child that impacts them both. Desi and Diana met week after week, doing all kinds of fun things that allowed Desi the opportunity to enjoy some stress-free hours in her week—along with a glimpse at her community and a world she didn’t know existed. 

After being matched for a year, Diana was attached to her young friend and opted to extend the relationship. Desi was thrilled! She has a mentor who can help to ground her as she moves from one home and school to another. Someone who is waiting to bless her with fun activities or help her fill out applications and plan for interviews to enhance her life opportunities. Someone who she can count on to be stable, consistent and always kind. She has a mentor of her very own. 

Desi describes her mentor as “generous and amazing,” and she is “flattered” that her mentor is staying in her life. More than once, Desi has told Diana, “this is the best day of my life!”

Join the good people at Great Life Mentoring and help provide - more than enough - to every child facing adversity in your community.