With Thanksgiving and all the other holidays coming up soon, now’s a good time to not only thank those who’ve helped you, but to help others who need you. And in this area, there may be no better group than our youth.
Whether you believe, like recent reports, that all kids want to learn and our public schools are letting them down – or that many kids come to school unprepared and parents don’t care much about what’s going on, either way, there are kids in need.
For many, that help, support, and encouragement may come from a family member, but it may also come from a teacher, community partner, church member, Scout leader, or a mentor. Since 2003, SMILES (SouthCoast Mentoring Initiative for Learning Education and Service) has worked to respond to the South Coast’s dropout rate and poor workforce education demographics.
Hundreds of SMILES
According to the SMILES website, the first mentoring programs were launched in two New Bedford middle schools, and facilitated by staff at the New Bedford Prevention Partnership. SMILES initial partners included the New Bedford Area Chamber of Commerce, Greater New Bedford Interchurch Council, New Bedford Public Schools, and the New Bedford Prevention Partnership.
In 2006, SMILES incorporated as a nonprofit organization and expanded from the two schools in the Whaling City to 12 in Fall River and New Bedford. A strategic decision was made by SMILES partners to incorporate in 2006 as a nonprofit to position the program for significant growth. The Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts who had served as fiscal agent for SMILES was relieved of that when 501c3 charitable status was received from the Internal Revenue Service in 2007.
Expansion in both New Bedford and Fall River has continued. Currently there are more than fifteen programs in Fall River and eighteen in New Bedford serving over 500 matches. Independent mentoring is also offered at the middle and high school levels in both New Bedford and Fall River. Programs are also available in Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Norton and Wareham and Westport. At their Annual Meeting in June 2010, SMILES Mentoring became part of People Incorporated.
“This partnership will strengthen both organizations, and most importantly will continue the work of building futures for the children of the South Coast area,” People Incorporated President and CEO, Robert Canuel stated in a local news report.
Latest Comments