Connections Goes To Washington

This week, two of our staff and three Youth Leadership Council members traveled to Washington DC to advocate for mentoring as part of MENTOR’s Capitol Hill Day. Our young people shared with Congress the personal impact that mentoring has had on their lives. Their stories were impactful, garnering celebration and accolades from government officials, MENTORNY staff, and an invitation to present at a conference in Niagara Falls this Spring.

A timely trip

Our team’s meetings with Congress coincided with the Trump administration’s freeze on federal grants.

 Connections is mid-contract on a federal grant of $100,000 through June 2026. Our team advocated for continued funding for mentoring services and for policy changes that impact young people in foster care.

Amidst this uncertainty, we are deeply grateful for your individual donations that help secure our programming and services.

Partnership with Culture for One

Thanks to funding from the B. Robert Williamson Jr. Foundation (who also generously funded our DC trip), Connections Mentor has a new partnership with Culture for One. Through this partnership, Culture for One will provide arts and culture excursions for Connections mentors and mentees. We are so excited to work with them to provide these enriching opportunities for our young people to engage with the arts in their city.