Description
Our mentors are not paid...not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless!
The Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization located in Sonoma, California. We make one-on-one matches between at-risk youth and caring adults who commit to a long-term relationship with that child.
Of all the research currently available, one thing is for sure...the single most important factor in determining a child's success is the presence of one caring adult in their life, and it need not be their parent. For many of the kids in our program, that caring adult is their mentor!
It takes a community to raise a child, and that is exactly what the Sonoma community is all about. We presently have 450 loyal, dedicated adult volunteers who have made a very serious commitment to the child they are matched with. For a good many of our volunteers, the relationship they form with their mentee is very likely to last a lifetime.
We have no idea what life changes will be brought about for these children because of their involvement in mentoring. But this we do know - diversity is being celebrated, and we are bridging the gaps in the cultural divide. Our next goal is to encourage all of these children who are reaping the benefits of mentoring to come back after college graduation, and PAY IT FORWARD by becoming a mentor themselves...a wonderful way to pass it on!
