NationalMentoringMonthStory

Michaelisa10yearoldmenteewithCatholicCharitiesLorainCounty,DioceseofClevelandsCCUSA TruancyMentoringProgram.HismentorsnameisKevinJacksonandhehasbeenwithCatholic Charitiesasamentorforalmost2years.HehasbeenworkingwithMichaelnowsinceOctober2013. Michaeliscurrentlyin5thgrade.Duringhis4thgradeyear,hemissed25daysofschool.Mostofthose dayscameduringa2monthperiodoftimeattheendoftheyear.Duringthelastquarterofhis4th gradeyear,MichaelreceivedtwoDs,oneCandoneBinhisacademicclasses.Atthetimeofreferral,4 weeksintothenewschoolyear,Michaelhadmissed2daysofschoolandwasalreadyfailingmath. ThoughMichaelwasnotabehaviorproblematschool,staffsawhimasbeinglostintheshuffleand oftenquietanddown.Michaelliveswithhismotherand4siblingsranginginagefrom217.Theyare financiallystrugglingandMichaelisoftenathomeisolated.Hewasnotinvolvedinanyactivitiesatthe timeofreferral.Michaelsbiologicalfatherdoesnothaveanycontactwithhimorofferhimany support,emotionallyorfinancially.SomethingthatmakesMichaeluniqueisthechallengehehasto faceeverydayoflivingwithamomwhoisdisabledphysicallyandunabletotakehimplacesordomany thingsherself,letaloneforthechildren.Forthatreason,Michaelhasalotofresponsibilityathomeand hastobeveryindependent.Momhasnotalwaysbeendisabled,butduetoamedicalaccidentinMarch of2103,shewasinthehospitalfor3monthsthentransferredtoarehabfacilityforanother3months. Shereturnedhomejustasthenewschoolyearwasstarting.Duringthetimethatshewasgone, Michaelwasinthecareofhis15yearoldsisterand17yearoldbrother,andbeingmonitoredbyLorain CountyChildrensServices,whowantedtotrytokeeptheremainingfamilytogether.Hisyounger siblingswenttostaywiththeirfather.Michaelbeganmissingalotofschoolandstrugglingwithanxiety andloneliness,andhisgradesfell.Itwasveryhardforhimtoadjusttohismombeinggone.Whenshe returned,Michaelhadtohelpwitheverything.Thisincludedhelpingtobatheandtoilethismomand assistwiththecareofhistwoyoungsiblingswhohadnowreturnedhome.Everythinghadchangedfor him.Whenthissupervisorwenttocompletethementoringorientation,IobservedMichaelbeunable tofocusontheappointmentbecausehismomhadtoaskforassistanceconstantly,particularlywith preparinglunchforhissiblings,retrievethingsformomandoveralltakeresponsibility.Ialsonoticed thatthefamilywasverylowonfoodwhenIwasthere,andmomconfidedthatshecannotseemto makethefoodstampmoneylastthroughthemonthandshecannotgettofoodpantriesduetoher disability.Thislittleboywasunabletojustbeakid,andhadnorealmalerolemodeltooffersupport andguidance.Theschoolalsohadconcernthathewouldcontinuemissingalotofschoolduetonot wantingtobeawayfromhismom,ormomkeepinghimhometohelp. Sincestartingmentoring,Michaelhasonlymissedatotalof4daysofschoolin3months.Heisstill strugglinginmath,butallothergradesareCorhigher.Weareworkingwiththeschooltogethimsome tutoringinmath.Hehasparticipatedweeklywithhismentor,andhismentorvisitshiminschoolto havelunchandcheckinonhisprogressoverall.Michaelreportedtomethathelikesbeingin mentoringbecausehecangetoutofthehouse,playsportsanddofunactivitieswithKevinandfriends hisage.HestatedhelikesthatKevintalkstohimandspendstimewithhim.Hehasformedagreat connectionwithanothermenteeandhealwayshasasmileonhisfacewhenIseethemattheagency. Wehavelinkedmomwithoursisteragencysfoodpantryandthementorbringsfoodbagstothem twiceamonthtoassistwiththeshortage.Momisveryappreciativeofthis.ASIwritethis,Michaelis downstairsatouragencyhavingpizzaandplayinggameswithhismentor.HealwayscomestoseeifI amhereandtosayhiwhentheycomehere.Heseemstobemoreconfidentandhappier.Thoughhis

homesituationhasnotchanged,wehaveprovidedhimwithaconsistentsupportivemaleadultinhis lifeandanoutletforhisisolationandlackofactivity.WewillcontinuetoofferMichaelandallother menteestheopportunitytohaveahealthymeal,participateinlearningopportunitiesandfunactivities andsupporttheirneedsoverall. Wearereducingpovertybyassessingclientsneedsandlinkingthemwithappropriateresourcesthat willassistthemwithmovingforwardorfillinggapsthatexist,asevidencedbyourlinkageofmomwith thefoodpantryanddeliveryoffood. PartofourCatholicIdentityistorespondtothoseinneedthroughqualityserviceswhilealsorespecting thedignityofeachpersonaswellasprovidinghopeforthosewhoarehopeless.Ifeelthatweare meetingthosethreegoalsthroughourservicesforMichaelandothersinthisprogram.Thosewhoare interestedinhelpingoutourprogramcanofferprayer,donationsofsupplieswecanutilizeinthe programsuchascraftsitems,games,schoolsupplies,foodoranyotheritemthatyouthaged912might appreciate.Anyoneinterestedindonatingsuppliesdirectlycancontactmeat jathomas@clevelandcatholiccharities.org.Anyoneinterestedindonatingfundsthatcanbeusedto enrichandstrengthenourprogramcandosothroughouragencywebsiteat www.clevelandcatholiccharities.organdnotethatthedonationshouldbedesignatedtowardLorain CountyTruancyMentoring. Marketing/CommunicationsarehandledbySamanthaMealy,smealy@clevelandcatholiccharities.org. OurFacebookpageisCatholicCharitiesDioceseofCleveland.Ourtwitterhandleis@ccdocle. JenThomasMA,PCC ClinicalSupervisor,YouthMentoring CatholicCharitiesLorainCounty,DioceseofCleveland