United Way of Palm Beach County Celebrates National Mentoring Month with Virtual Mentor Recruitment Event

Boca Raton, FL – January is National Mentoring Month, and this year United Way of Palm Beach County’s Mentor Center is celebrating the annual campaign aimed at expanding quality mentoring opportunities to connect more of our community’s young people with caring adults by hosting a virtual mentor recruitment event.

On February 3 from 12-1pm, join this virtual lunch and learn event to hear from United Way’s funded mentor programs as they share how a caring adult can change a child’s life by volunteering one hour a week. United Way of Palm Beach County’s Mentor Center partners with 50 local programs that offer flexible opportunities for mentoring all across Palm Beach County.

“Having just one positive adult figure in a child’s life can break generational cycles and change the trajectory of their lives. It has never been more important for us to empower and equip our youth to overcome challenges. The time for mentoring is now,” said Laurie George, Ph.D., President & CEO of United Way of Palm Beach County.

Research shows that mentors play a powerful role in providing young people with the tools to make responsible choices, attend and engage in school, and reduce or

avoid risky behavior like drug use.  In turn, these young people are:

  • 55% more likely to be enrolled in college
  • 81% more likely to report participating regularly in sports or extracurricular activities.
  • 78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities.
  • More than twice as likely to say they held a leadership position in a club or sports team.

Yet, the same research shows that one in three young people in our country will grow up without a mentor. Today, in our community there are 1,050 kids who could benefit from having a mentor.

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested in becoming a mentor is highest.  This year, with the support of the mentoring community, we are encouraging our community to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life.

Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through those real life decisions.

To learn more about the role mentoring plays in our community and take the next step to become a mentor, register for the Virtual Mentor Recruitment event here: https://unitedwaypbc.org/event/virtual-mentor-recruitment-event/ or visit UnitedWayPBC.org/Mentor.

National Mentoring Month is led by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with support from the Highland  Street Foundation. Each year since its launch in 2002, National Mentoring Month has enjoyed the strong support of the President and the United States Congress. Other prominent individuals who have participated in the campaign include: Maya Angelou, former President Bill Clinton, Clint Eastwood, Quincy Jones, Cal Ripken Jr., Bill Russell and Usher.

About United Way of Palm Beach County:   For more than 90 years, United Way of Palm Beach County has been the local leader dedicated to identifying and addressing critical community issues to improve the lives of our residents.  We champion community change by strategically uniting key stakeholders and community leaders and investing in successful, sustainable nonprofits. United Way funds 100 local programs and initiatives that provide lasting solutions and measurable results – from increasing graduation rates and supporting literacy to ensuring financial independence, promoting healthy lifestyles and ending hunger. When you support United Way of Palm Beach County, you are strengthening your community. To learn more call 561.375.6600 or visit www.UnitedWayPBC.org.

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