January is National Mentoring Month

Each January, we at JFS celebrate National Mentoring Month because mentorship is a cornerstone of a strong community. A month-long celebration gives us the chance to amplify, encourage, and strengthen our relationship with our community. It also gives us the chance to invite you to join us.

From individuals like you, to businesses to schools, and everyone in between we can all work together to foster positivity for the next generation and create more mentorship opportunities for everyone.

Why mentoring works and why you should become involved.

Youth with a mentor are:

92% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities.
85% of young people with a mentor say this key relationship has helped them with issues related to school and their education.
58% of young people say their mentor has supported their mental health.

The goals of National Mentoring Month are to:

Raise awareness of mentoring in its various forms
Recruit individuals to mentor, especially in programs that have waiting lists of young people
Promote the rapid growth of mentoring by recruiting organizations to engage their constituents in mentoring

Throughout the month, we have highlighted a few days for you to celebrate or learn more about mentoring.

Three ways to celebrate!

Jan 6th: I Am A Mentor Day
Share on social media what being a mentor means to you with the hashtag #IAmAMentor.
Jan 19th: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
Do something to make a difference for others with your mentee. Anything from making cards for those in the hospital to a beach clean-up. Whatever feels good to the two of you!
Jan 28th: Thank Your Mentor Day
Send your mentor a thank you text, email, or call them to share how grateful you are for the difference they have made in your life.