Volunteers Needed for Mentoring

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StandUp for Kids is a national organization whose mission is to help homeless and at-risk youth. StandUp for Kids-D.C. operates a one-on-one mentoring program that pairs a mentor from the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area with a homeless student in the D.C. public school system. We are currently working with students from Charles Hart Middle School, located at 601 Mississippi Avenue, S.E.

There are currently over 4,000 homeless students in the D.C. public and charter school systems. Many of these students move at least once, and often up to three times a year. We know that a child needs 4-6 months to recover academically each time he or she transfers schools, and significantly more time to feel safe and comfortable in a new school. Homeless children are twice as likely as their peers to repeat a grade and are our city’s most vulnerable citizens.

A mentor is an adult volunteer who wants to make a difference in a child’s life by providing both general encouragement and specific support to help the child achieve their dreams and plan for a future. Mentors serve as a trusted friend and guide helping to ensure that the student develops important academic and life skills, is exposed to new opportunities and a wide array of resources, makes positive life choices, and stays in school.