Mentor Me, Neighbor

Our Vision:

We envision a world where every child in need has a mentor.

Our Mission:

Empowering youth in need to achieve their highest potential though mentoring and advocacy.

Who We Are:

Mentor Me was founded in 2000 at McNear Elementary School in Petaluma, CA. A group of concerned parents, teachers and community members noticed that some students were "falling through the cracks". During the same time period, the state of California drastically cut its funding for elementary school counselors, leaving a lack of support and guidance for many students whose life circumstances put them at risk.

After 18 months of research and fundraising our mentoring program was launched in early 2001 with three mentorships the first year.

The program has continued to expand, meeting the needs of more and more young people. To date, Mentor Me operates Mentor Centers in 21 schools, serving more than 400 students. These centers, as well as our Cavanagh Recreation Center that opened In August of 2014, provide a safe and secure environment in which our mentors and mentees can meet and develop a trusting relationship.

Community volunteer mentors are the backbone of Mentor Me. We mentor children and youth ages 5-18.