FFSC Mentoring Launches Its Second Round!

Over 40 youth and volunteers gathered at New Designs Charter School on Saturday, June 11th for Second Chances Mentoring Program's second round of mentorship this year! Despite a gloomy morning, eventually the sun came out and teams of mentors and mentees engaged in a little healthy competition.

From he Name Game to the Final Relay Race, teams got to know one another and work together in order to send their Mummies through the finish line, morph themselves into Rocks and Caterpillars, tie balloons with one hand, and share pieces of themselves while munching on M&M's. Check out some of the action below!

2011 Round 2 Mentor Mash Up!

Second Chances Kick Off Hall of Fame!

Destiny, Natalie, Marilyn, Nala, Vanessa, Kubrat, & Mindy

Karim, Sinque, Chad, Drew, & Jesse

Isaiah, Eddy, Davontre, Richard, Benjamin, Maurice, & Jeremiah

Essence, Kelly, Dayjah, Tanisha, Katherine, Beth, Caroline, & Princess

Breana, Danielle, Claudia, Brenda, Crystal, & Ashley

We can't wait to see everyone again at Chuck E. Cheese on the 25th for our 3 rounds of Speed Mentoring!

SCMP Gives Back to the Community

On Saturday May 21, Second Chances Mentoring Program provided an opportunity for mentors and mentees to engage in community service together, imparting the importance of civic engagement and leadership to our youth. In collaboration with the Dream Center, a non-profit outreach committed to helping inner cities, mentoring couples volunteered for the day in the housing projects.

Delivering food, cleaning up the grounds, taking requests from residents, and spending time playing with the neighborhood kids were just some of the ways our youth were able to give back to our community alongside their mentors. Being able to see the effect that they can have on others made this a particularly memorable and impacting group outing; some of our mentoring couples even intend to return to the Dream Center on their own.

Second Chances is grateful for the opportunity volunteer with the Dream Center, and continues to encourage and support all of its mentoring couples to give back to the community in any small way they can, from picking up trash on the beach to volunteering at a local animal shelter, every effort counts!

2010's Round 1 Mentors Celebrate One Year with their Mentees!

On Saturday, May 7, Second Chances Mentoring Program held a Closure Celebration for mentoring couples who recently reached the end of their year together. Lots of laughs were shared during our Mentorship Pictionary & Charades, and lots of great Mexican food was enjoyed! At the heart of the event, mentors and mentees reflected on their year in SCMP by creating and sharing art projects featuring photographs, hand-drawn pictures of their favorite outing, and wishes for their new friend.

Cory shares with Jesse how much he appreciates his friendship

Joe and Francisco

Sheryl stands to share with her mentee Savannah

Jorge and Carlos

While mentors from this round completed their first year, over 70% are continuing on in their mentoring relationships for a second year with Second Chances. It has been an incredible year for all of our mentors and mentees, and we are so grateful for our mentors' time and talents and so proud of the tremendous growth in our youth! Without our incredible volunteers, SCMP would simply not exist, so to you we are always indebted. Thank you.

Joe Weiner & Francisco

Juan Dotson & Seth

Laura Kratochvil & Rachel

Stephanie Kwong & Stephanie

Chad Bowman & Jaireese

Laura Krank & Psalms

Rudy Flores & Antonio

Valerie Esquivel & Mercedes

Caitlyn Brisbin & Valerie

Laura Petry & Taylor

Sheryl Marx & Savannah

Cory Livingston & Jesse

Patrick Bliesener & Brandon

Jorge Alanso & Carlos

Jennifer Thompson & Michelle

Matt Trandall & Eli

Jennifer Moran & Salimah

Much thanks also goes to the Cheviot Hills Park Recreation Center for hosting our organization for this incredible event for our mentoring couples!

SCMP Hits the Trail!

On Saturday, March 26, Second Chances hosted its monthly group outing as a hike at Eaton Canyon in Pasadena! After a week of heavy rainfall, the usually mild creek crossings became more akin to rivers, but mentors and mentees worked together in order to make it across.

While conditions didn't permit us to make it all the way to the waterfall, we had a great (and certainly memorable!) time even though there wasn't a dry foot in the bunch by the time we returned to our starting point. Check out some of the action below!

Thanks so much to all of those who came out to brave the elements; we can't wait to see you again next month!

Save Service, Save FFSC Mentoring!

FFSC Mentoring, along with hundreds of other organizations and agencies who service millions of our most vulnerable citizens every year, need your help.

Recently, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, a long-term Continuing Resolution that will cut government programs by $100 billion for the rest of this fiscal year. This bill eliminates the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), home to AmeriCorps and Teach for America, would zero out funding for the Mentoring of Children of Prisoners program program for the remainder of the fiscal year, and cuts funding for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention by 45 percent. (Courtesy of Mentoring.org)

We need you to take action NOW to ensure this legislation does not become law. 

Please contact your local representatives to voice your objection to H.R. 1! Instructions and talking points are easily available on SaveService.org, along with easy ways to write to media outlets and other useful information and resources!

FFSC Mentoring will lose its core source of funding if H.R. 1 passes, and be hindered from serving 120+ children of prisoners in Los Angeles who are already underserved, misunderstood, and forgotten. Through FFSCM, families receive case management, children receive stable and positive adult role models, and incarcerated parents are reconnected with their children and provided reentry services to combat recidivism. Our program, and many other quality programs like it, face a high risk of elimination if this bill passes.

Second Chances Walks in the Tidepools!

On Sunday, February 27, Second Chances hosted its monthly Group Outing at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium in San Pedro! Mentoring couples were able to attend a brief presentation on sea life found in the local tidepools before trekking over to explore the tidepools for themselves. Mentees and mentors had a ball searching for and pointing out sea urchins, starfish, hermit crabs, barnacles and more!

After the tidepool walk, mentors and mentees picnicked by the beach before heading into the aquarium exhibits and checking out the touch tank.

Thanks so much to all those who came out for a beautiful day in San Pedro! Can't wait to see you all again next month.

CONGRATULATIONS TO 2011's ROUND 1!

It's official! Second Chances Mentoring Program has matched 13 mentors and mentees for its first round of mentors in 2011. Our deepest appreciation goes out to our new mentors, who have committed to mentoring an youth at-risk over the next year. We look forward to watching their friendships blossom, and to the incredible impact that not only they will have on their mentees, but the impact their mentees will have on them.

Caroline Yacu & Hilary

Adam Shiell & Demetrius

Jess Lanao & Rashaye

Alyssa Smith & Sierra

Kenneth Brown & Robert

Leora Katz & Ambrosia

Sara Cummings & Ny'Breya

Daniel de Souza & Jonathan

Donna Pozon & Marcela

Darlene Aguilar & Anayha

Brieanne Nikrandt & Toyrion

Tina Fowler & Elena

Brian Ponce & Isaiah

Want to join our fabulous group of mentors? We'll be launching our next round of mentors in June, with training starting next month! If you, and/or someone you know, would be interested in mentoring an at-risk youth 6-8 hours per month for the next year, contact us today!

FFSC Mentoring Now Accepting Mentor Applications!

 

Foundation for Second Chances Mentoring is now accepting Mentor Applications! FFSC Mentoring provides a unique opportunity for caring adult volunteers to befriend children with incarcerated parents in the Los Angeles community. Our mentors come from all different backgrounds, professions, and experiences, but all of them have the desire to invest their time and heart into our youth.

Mentors and mentees participate in a special matching process through our group Kick Off events. Mentors and mentees meet for the first time at our Mentor Mash Up, getting to know each other through relay races, icebreakers, and team building activities! Two weeks later, everyone pairs off for each of our 3 rounds of Speed Mentoring at Chuck E. Cheese. Mentors and mentees then fill out individual match surveys, choosing who they feel is their best match!

After finding each other, mentors and mentees commit to their mentoring relationship for 1 year, only 6-8 hours per month. Mentors and mentees embark on one-on-one outings of their choosing and at the times best for them, and mentors may also help mentees keep a connection with their incarcerated parent. FFSC Mentoring also hosts optional but fun monthly group outings to bring the mentoring family together! These outings are a great opportunity for mentees to foster relationships with other youth and adults, as well as a great way for mentors to network with other mentors.

Our next round will be launching in March 2011, with Mentor Orientation & Training Sessions starting in January 2011. Don't wait until the last-minute--get the application process started this month! For more information regarding FFSC Mentoring and the application, please contact Program Manager Laura Petry at laura@ffscinc.org OR by phone at (213) 627-1745. You can also fill out a brief intake survey HERE.

Aon and Second Chances Partner to Beautify New Designs Charter

In May, Second Chances Mentoring Program was selected to partner with leading global reinsurance intermediary, Aon, to serve our community. The project at hand? The beautification of a burgeoning, innovative charter school in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, New Designs Charter School.

On Tuesday, June 1st, the Los Angeles offices of Aon hosted a silent auction to raise funds on behalf of Second Chances Mentoring Program. Employees came out to bid on tickets for Disneyland, an autographed game ball from the Los Angeles Lakers, a week-long condo rental in Honolulu, a brand new Kindle, and so much more! Over $3,000 was raised that afternoon; combined with the Irvine office's silent auction the previous week, $4,500 was raised to help breathe new life into the New Designs campus.

Second Chances would like to recognize Aon employees for their support and generosity--from mobilizing volunteers to coordinating fundraisers, our sincerest thanks. Deepest thanks go to Sheryl Marx, Executive Assistant at Aon and Second Chances mentor, for nominating FFSC for this incredible community partnership. Our gratitude also extends to Warren Sata, Director of School Operations at New Designs, for all his support and enthusiasm.

On July 15, 2010, over 100 Aon employees will be repainting classrooms, implementing murals, building new seating areas, planting flowers, donating sports equipment, teaching classes, and creating a vegetable garden for the University Park campus of New Designs.