MENTORING
TOTAL MENTORING PROGRAM INVESTMENTS: $207,500
TARGET OUTCOME: PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH THAT PROVIDE QUALITY IN-SCHOOL
AND AFTER-SCHOOL MENTORING; AND BUILD LIFE SKILLS AND DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS
Adopt-A-Family of the Palm Beaches (www.adoptafamilypbc.org)
Project Grow: $34,000
An after-school and out-of-school program that serves 60 children ages 5 to 12 from homeless and low-income
families in Palm Beach County. The program offers tutoring and the STEAM program to enrich the lives of these
students. Staff continually meets with parents and teachers to discuss academic progress and offer support
services to these children and families. Project Grow helps break the cycle of poverty by exposing and educating
the children about educational possibilities and plan for their future academic goals. Zip Code Served: 33460
Why is this program necessary?
The unique and compelling needs of children from homeless and/or low-income families are stressed in this
program where learning is a priority. Florida is ranked 33 in the number of homeless children. The National
Center on Family Homelessness reports that 1 in 30 children experience homelessness in America, an increase
from 2012. According to these statistics, homeless children are 4 times more likely to be sick, go hungry at twice
the rate of children with homes, higher rates of obesity from nutritional deficiencies, and have 3 times the rate
of emotional and behavior problems compared to non-homeless children.
Alpert Jewish Family and Children Services (www.jfcsonline.com)
Mentoring 4 Kids $ 2,500
Mentoring 4 Kids is a program designed to provide mentoring for 60 children in single parent homes. Children
ages 6 to 14 living in single parent families are matched with same gender adult volunteer mentors.
Zip Code served: 33407
Why is this program necessary?
Mentoring 4 Kids serves youth reflective of statistics taken from the State of the Child in Palm Beach County
Executive Summary, indicating that nearly 30% of the children in Palm Beach County age 17 or younger live in
single parent households. Children are at a higher risk for a variety of emotional or behavioral challenges when
lacking the attention provided by their biological parents or adult guardian/caretakers.
Children’s Home Society of Florida (www.chsfl.org)
Project 18 Mentoring: $25,000
One on one community-based mentoring program for 94 youth in foster care in Palm Beach County. This
program promotes and develops self-sufficiency with youth who are turning 18 and aging out of foster care.
Prior to aging out, mentors are matched with a youth for up to two years. Zip Code Served: 33406
Why is this program necessary?
In Palm Beach County there are 884 children in the foster care system. Of those, 41 will transition out of the
system at age 18. It is estimated that one third of Florida’s foster children will become homeless within 3 years
of aging out. Based on that data, 14 of the 41 would most likely end up homeless. Foster care youth who turn 18
in Florida, will have their comprehensive services discontinued.
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MENTORING
TOTAL MENTORING PROGRAM INVESTMENTS: $207,500
TARGET OUTCOME: PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH THAT PROVIDE QUALITY IN-SCHOOL
AND AFTER-SCHOOL MENTORING; AND BUILD LIFE SKILLS AND DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS
Children’s Home Society of Florida (www.chsfl.org)
Project 18 Afterschool Services: $25,000
Project 18 is an afterschool program that offers structured positive youth development, recreation, education,
career skills, self-enhancement, and therapeutic activities to benefit the 158 youth in Children’s Home Society’s
programs. Teens, ages 13-18, who are runaway/homeless or at-risk youth in the foster care system are prepared
for successful independent living and self-sufficiency. Zip Code Served: 33406
Why is this program necessary?
Nationally, the unemployment rate among “aged out” foster youth is 51% and the average hourly wage for
former foster youth is minimum wage. This could explain why 15% of Florida’s foster children become homeless
within twelve months of aging out of foster care at the age of 18 and 33% will be homeless within 3 years of
aging out.
Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies of Palm Beach County (www.hmhbpbc.org)
Caps & Cribs: Teen Mom Mentoring: $9,000
Connects 15 pregnant and/or parenting teens with a one-on-one mentor. Mentor/Mentee relationships will
focus on the importance of education, as well as identify long-term life goals, such as a career path, for teens
that statistically do not complete school as a result of pregnancy. Zip Code Served: 33483
Why is this program necessary?
841 teens delivered babies last year in Palm Beach County and an average of 2% of them complete high school.
Hundreds of young mothers struggle with a number of social, emotional, educational, and health issues as they
try to raise a child and still be a teenager; resulting in lack of self-esteem.
Home Safe
Life Skills: $20,000
The Life Skills program places major emphasis on providing comprehensive, customized assistance for the
vulnerable population of children and teens in the care of Home Safe. By learning basic, but vitally important
life skills, 100 foster care youth can substantially improve the likelihood of achieving success and steering clear
of a life of despair. Areas of focus are academic progress, financial literacy, daily living skills, relationship and
team-building strategies, and employment and career development. Zip Code served: 33461
Why is this program necessary?
In Palm Beach County 75-100 youth age out of the foster care system each year. These youth lack major skills
required for independent living. In Florida, over 1,300 foster care youth are identified as suffering from some
kind of emotional disability and need emotional support, educational support, independent living skills, and
aftercare stability with this vulnerable population.
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MENTORING
TOTAL MENTORING PROGRAM INVESTMENTS: $207,500
TARGET OUTCOME: PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH THAT PROVIDE QUALITY IN-SCHOOL
AND AFTER-SCHOOL MENTORING; AND BUILD LIFE SKILLS AND DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS
Milagro Center (www.milagrocenter.org)
ArtReach: $5,000
Serves over 200 children and youth from various schools and organizations to view the current art exhibit and
participate in art related projects at the Milagro Center. The themes for the art exhibits extend cultural arts
education and living values of peace, love, responsibility, happiness, cooperation, honesty, humility, tolerance,
simplicity, unity and integrity. Zip Code Served: 33444
Why is this program necessary?
In Palm Beach County only 70% of youth graduate from high school. In the community, nearly 40% speak
English as a second language, are unschooled, and cannot read well enough to pass standardized tests. It is vital
that quality programs exist to care for and enhance the opportunities available to at-risk children.
Milagro Center (www.milagrocenter.org)
Mentoring Miracles: $10,000
One-on-one mentoring to 40 youth, 4 hours per month and fosters nurturing, supportive, intergenerational
relationships that are essential to building a child’s self-esteem. Zip Code Served: 33444
Why is this program necessary?
In Palm Beach County only 70% of youth graduate from high school. In the community, nearly 40% speak
English as a second language, are unschooled, and cannot read well enough to pass standardized tests. It is vital
that quality programs exist to care for and enhance the opportunities available to at-risk children.
Parent-Child Center (www.gocpg.org/parent-childcenter)
High School Graduation Initiative: $5,000
A collaborative partner project coordinated under the School District of Palm Beach County and the Department
of Safe Schools, and is largely funded by the US Department of Education. School-based professional teams
provide opportunities for 300 at-risk teens which include a personal risk assessment, incoming 9th grade
transitioning, peer and college mentoring, education and life skill tutoring, efficacy training, and school credit
recovery. Zip Codes Served: Multiple
Why is this program necessary?
In Palm Beach County less than 70% of youth graduate from high school. The High School Graduation Initiative
concentrates individualized support services in a collaborative effort to adapt behavior and participation of atrisk teens, and drastically increase graduation rates extending to 8 Palm Beach County schools.
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MENTORING
TOTAL MENTORING PROGRAM INVESTMENTS: $207,500
TARGET OUTCOME: PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH THAT PROVIDE QUALITY IN-SCHOOL
AND AFTER-SCHOOL MENTORING; AND BUILD LIFE SKILLS AND DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS
Take Stock in Children of Palm Beach County (www.takestockpalmbeach.org)
Student Mentor Support: $55,000
Provides a comprehensive array of services to 503 students at or near the poverty level that are at-risk of
dropping out of high school. Services include: self-improvement and education workshops, college readiness
services provided by trained AmeriCorps members, early intervention and long- term support services, parental
involvement, and a caring adult volunteer mentor that meets with students once a week. Students enrolled in
the program must maintain satisfactory grades, exhibit good attendance and behavior in school, and have a
financial need and be determined to succeed. Upon high school graduation, each student who has honored
their commitment receives a full tuition scholarship. Zip Codes Served: Multiple
Why is this program necessary?
This program was created in response to the three major problems faced by our youth: high school dropout
crisis, high youth crime rate, and the endless cycle of poverty. The root of the problems of unemployment,
underemployment, and high crime are students who have no hope for secondary education because of their
family’s income and because their parents cannot guide them through an educational experience they have
never had. The mentoring program provides guidance, support, and leadership, as well as academic support
systems to these students as they complete high school.
YMCA South Palm Beach (www.ymcaspbc.org)
Caridad Kids Summer Camp: $17,000
Provides a quality summer camp experience with enriching activities and field trips for 75 children from the
Caridad Center and Migrant Farmworkers Association. The summer camp offers programs in eight areas:
arts/humanities, character development, health/wellness, educational experiences, literacy, science tech,
service-learning, and social competences. For 10 hours each day, children have the opportunity to have fun
while receiving benefits of healthy living, educational exposure, and enrichment activities.
Zip Code Served: 33436
Why is this program necessary?
The need for financial assistance for children of migrant farmworkers, day laborers and the working poor has
grown. Without the program, many of the children would be at home unsupervised, in a field all day while
their parents work, or parents would not earn desperately needed income for their family.
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