Weekly sessions
Mondays: 2:30-3:30 & 3:30-4:30
Tuesdays: 1:30-2:30
Wednesdays: 2:30-3:30
Thursdays: 2:15-3:15
One Child. One Hour. One Church. One School.
Our goal is simple: to intervene in the lives of kids in Eagle Rock with “no strings attached” and become agents of transformation, affirmation, and hope!
A mentor is paired with one child
identified by the school
meeting one hour a week for the duration of a school year
All mentoring happens at the school. We respect the separation of church and state. The children and their families are invited to participate in an Awards ceremony at the church at the end of the school year but no religious activity takes place at that event either.
During the first school year (2007-2008), we served 15 children: 5 girls and 10 boys in grades 2-6. In the second school year (2008-2009) we served 35 children. In our third school year (2009-2010) we served 50 children. Our program continues to grow because of the amazing volunteers who commit to making a difference in the life of a child. We add new students in grades K, 1 and 2 each fall.
Once a child is accepted into the program, they stay in the program until they graduate from elementary school or leave the school. If the mentor decides not to continue with the child, a new mentor is recruited to take their place.
The Kids Hope USA screening process focuses on two key areas: whether someone is a good fit for mentoring and whether they’re safe to work with children. A good fit means having the right personality to build a caring, supportive relationship; while safety involves checking for any history of abuse, neglect, hostile beliefs, or other concerns that could be harmful to a child.
*Although we will work to find the best match for each volunteer, because of the nature of the work we do, not everyone is a match for our program. We reserve the option to refuse mentoring applicants if we feel they are not the best fit. We strive to balance the skills, time constraints, and desires of each individual with the needs of the young people that receive our services. There are volunteer opportunities for a variety of skill sets and time commitments.
Kids Hope as a 501(c)3 organization is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all students and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, disability, citizenship or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. However, due to the popularity of the program and the strict vetting process we have for mentors we often have more students than volunteers. At times children will be placed on a waiting list until a match can be found.
The Foursquare church (Christian Assembly’s denomination) leaves room for progressive views on LGTBQ+ relationships which many of our mentors hold. But it is denomination policy not to place those statements on the website of affiliated churches because in our current climate and culture wars, the nuances of those conversations are best handled in relationships. Rest assured however, that no matter your persuasion, our agreement with LAUSD means we honor the separation of church and state and do not share our beliefs in any way with students. Our partnership and MOUs with districts across the country depend on this commitment. Still unsure? Check out what parents of students in our program have to say here.