“Clothes don’t make the man,” but the committed support of donors and mentors did something grand for one youth.
Teen Outreach’s ECHO (Educate Children for Healthy Outcomes) mentoring program provides a long-term significant adult in the life of an at-risk youth. ECHO mentors educate youth to make healthy life decisions with topics like decision-making, communication, anger management, puberty education, life skills, and prevention education. This program depends on donor support.
In 2016, we focused on mentoring Washington School District 8th graders until graduation to improve the district’sgraduation rate. Passionate community members stepped up to become mentors.
Every month mentors educate students through themed-learning activities. September’s focus was budgeting needs and wants. As part of the activities, mentees received $50 gift cards and coupon books to go shopping with their mentors for back to school clothes.
“We received a thank you card from a very excited 14 year old,” Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski, Teen Outreach Director said. “He purchased three shirts and two pants, and he’d never had new clothes to wear back to school. Our Associate Director provided him with two new pairs of shoes through her church’s back-to-school giving program. We have a new backpack program every year, so we gave him a stocked backpack. This young man was overjoyed.”
When you lend a hand of support to Washington Health System, you do something grand. You help empower people, like these mentors and youth, to create a healthier, happier future for themselves, their families, and our community.