“Had I stayed in the car much longer, I probably would not be here,” says Janet, a TrueNorth participant, about her poor health while she was experiencing homelessness. “Because I’ve got a home now, I’m more stable. I can get to doctor’s appointments.” Receiving support from TrueNorth helped Janet find the safe housing she needed to improve her health and overall well-being.
Help people just like Janet when you make a caring gift on our annual TrueNorth Day of Giving held on Tuesday, February 25. Our goal is to raise $10,000 to ensure our neighbors thrive.
You can make all the difference in our communities.
Through your generosity, you will personally offer a hand up to our neighbors in need. Caring supporters like you are essential to furthering our mission of inspiring hope and creating a better world.
In 2024 alone, over 10,000 individuals like Janet received support from our housing, energy and family initiatives, ultimately furthering them on their paths to self-sufficiency. “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel,” Janet says when reflecting on her housing journey and how her life has changed for the better now that she has a safe place to call home.
You will help our neighbors know there is a brighter future ahead when you make a gift this TrueNorth Day of Giving. Give today and make your commitment to strengthening our community.
Safe, affordable housing is essential for the health and well-being of Michigan communities. Unfortunately, in many rural areas, there is a general lack of housing options and even less that are accessible to low income families.
Keep reading to learn more about housing accessibility and affordability in rural Michigan, its impacts and how you can help our neighbors secure the housing they need to thrive.
Affordable Housing Accessibility in Rural Michigan
A Look at Rural Michigan
According to Michigan’s Roadmap to Rural Prosperity, created by the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Opportunity and the Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity, “rural Michigan is home to 20 percent of the state’s population and comprises nearly 94 percent of the state’s land area, boasting tremendous natural resources that provide sustenance to residents, drive our economy, are culturally significant and offer endless outdoor recreational opportunities.” This brief overview illustrates the significance of Michigan’s rural areas and communities. While the majority of the state’s population lives in urban areas, Michigan’s rural communities remain integral to the state’s prosperity.
But, what does the term “rural” actually encompass? Michigan’s Roadmap to Rural Prosperity defines the term rural in three segments: “a deep connection to natural assets, being more geographically remote and smaller populations.” This definition shows the key characteristics of Michigan’s rural areas. Understanding these characteristics is integral to seeing the unique challenges these communities face.
Access to Affordable Housing
There has been a lack of affordable housing in both rural and urban Michigan communities. However, because of the nature of rural areas, these communities face unique challenges when it comes to finding housing.
Because urban communities hold more of Michigan’s population by a wide margin, there are more developments and housing options. While this logic makes sense, there are still disparities when it comes to finding affordable housing in rural communities. Even when accounting for a lower population density, there still is not enough housing in these communities.
These key facts highlight Michigan’s need for affordable rentals. Households who are extremely cost burdened spend more than half their income on housing, leaving little left to afford other necessities. These households are also at a higher risk for eviction as the National Low Income Housing Coalition explains. Unaffordable housing can lead to instability as residents struggle to stay in their homes or find housing they can afford. Low income rural renters face these risks as they work to secure safe housing that will help them move forward.
Rural Renting Challenges
Not only is it challenging to find available housing in rural communities, but there is also a lack of affordable housing. This is due to a number of factors such as residential construction lessening, household sizes shrinking, older residents aging in place and housing being converted to short-term and seasonal rentals as the Michigan Roadmap to Rural Prosperity describes.
The report goes on to explain how residential construction lessened after the 2008 recession, even with housing demands rising in rural areas. Household sizes have also been shrinking, which has not helped the need for more housing. The report says “with fewer people in each household, household growth continues even with a stagnant or declining population, and more homes are needed even for the same number of people.”
With many of the older residents choosing to age in place, there has been less housing turnover and availability overall as well. Plus, many rural areas have popular tourist attractions leading to year-round housing being transitioned into short-term rentals and seasonal properties. While the tourism revenue can help communities, the transitioning of these rentals does not help year-round residents looking for stable housing.
All of these challenges contribute to the housing needs in rural Michigan communities. Continue reading to learn more about the impacts of these factors.
Impact of Rural Renting Challenges
With the lack of rental availability and affordability, unfortunately, many people live in unsafe conditions because they cannot afford anything else. Safe housing is critical to people’s overall health and well-being. The National Center for Healthy Housing lists what makes a healthy environment in their article, “The Principles of a Healthy Home:”
Dry
Clean
Pest-Free
Ventilated
Safe
Contaminant-Free
Maintained
Thermally Controlled
Accessible
Affordable
All of these characteristics create a home where its residents can lead healthy, safe lives.
Not only are the physical characteristics of a rental important to residents’ health, but the affordability of the rental is also critical to their well-being. According to Opportunity Starts at Home’s fact sheet, “Healthcare Advocates Are Housing Advocates,” affordable housing is “a prescription for good health.” The fact sheet goes on to discuss how those whose rent is more than 30% of their income struggle to afford necessities such as food, transportation, childcare and healthcare. No one should have to decide between putting food on the table or paying rent. These impossible decisions have negative consequences on individuals’ health and well-being, making it even more challenging for them to move forward.
Unstable housing can negatively impact physical and mental health for children, adults and seniors. Children especially are impacted as housing instability leads to poor developmental outcomes that can impact them later on, as the fact sheet describes. Ultimately, healthy and stable housing is integral to individuals’ well-being.
Help Our Neighbors Find Safe and Affordable Housing
You can make a real difference in the lives of our neighbors. At TrueNorth Community Services, we believe everyone deserves to have dependable resources and live in safe environments. We meet the essential needs of our neighbors because all of our community members need help, safety and security to live and thrive.
How TrueNorth is Helping
Our Housing Resource Center meets people where they are to ensure they have safe, affordable housing. We offer self-sufficiency services alongside our housing support services to best set up our neighbors for long-term success. These housing support services include:
Securing housing for those in crisis
Assisting households to find safer, more affordable housing
Helping low-income households remain in their homes
Providing emergency home repairs
Providing foreclosure prevention counseling and pre-purchase homebuyer coaching sessions
All of these services ultimately work to keep our neighbors healthy and safe in secure housing. Take a look at Alyssa’s story below to see how these services can change the lives of our neighbors.
Alyssa Secures Her Home with TrueNorth’s Support
For TrueNorth Housing Resource Center participant, Alyssa, receiving support and guidance from TrueNorth moved her and her family forward.
Alyssa first came to TrueNorth because she was unable to afford her rent. She worked part-time to give her time with her two children, but work had become inconsistent for her husband. With the day-to-day expenses combined with rent, Alyssa’s family did not have enough to stay afloat.
Thankfully, Alyssa came to TrueNorth and received rental assistance along with guidance from her caseworker. From creating a realistic budget and seeing where her money had been going to setting short-term and long-term goals, TrueNorth has given her the tools to become more self-sufficient.
During this time, Alyssa searched for a full-time job that fit into her children’s schedule. She eventually found a third-shift job that fit her family and financial goals. These pieces coming together helped relieve the stress Alyssa faced, allowing her to be more present with her family.
Alyssa says, “When you’re really stressed for money and financial stability like every other aspect of your life including like the relationships with people in your home and your children and everyone, it just seems like it can be too much. So now that I am at the point where we are like financially secure, I know that I have a paycheck coming that’s enough to like cover my bills and expenses…it’s easier to maintain.”
Now, being at the end of the program, Alyssa is confident about her family’s future. She has started her new job and is taking steps towards the goals she and her caseworker created.
“I have a plan to hopefully buy the house that we’re in now by next year and I feel like that’s attainable, versus fearing being evicted,” says Alyssa.“It really helps set me up and get me in the proper mindset to be able to go out and continue to do this every single day and keep those short term and long term goals.”
How You Can Offer a Hand Up
You can make a real difference in the lives of people like Alyssa. Whether you donate, volunteer or advocate for those in need, you can be confident you are impacting lives for a lifetime. Get involved with TrueNorth today to help strengthen our neighbors and communities.
For Renee, connecting with those around her through Knitting All Together has helped improve her overall well-being and happiness. Being widowed at a young age and suffering from depression, having this opportunity to form relationships and give back to the community has had a positive impact on her life.
TrueNorth’s All Together programs, like Knitting All Together, bring community members together around common interests and volunteerism. Having these opportunities to connect and help those in need has reinvigorated Renee’s life.
Coming to Knitting All Together for the first time was scary for Renee because she did not know what to expect. However, Renee quickly felt welcomed and started forming friendships with others in the group.
One of the best parts of Knitting All Together for Renee has been feeling a sense of purpose and belonging. Renee says, “This group gives me something constructive to do, to look forward to and to be accountable for. In the past, I may have had all good intentions of attending some community event, but when the time came, I’d stay home. Nobody was there to care if I came or not. I didn’t have to be accountable.”
The relationships Renee has formed have helped her feel more connected to the community. Hearing about the lives of others while working on projects to donate to local causes has given Renee opportunities to make an impact with the connections she has formed and the work she has done.
When reflecting on the value All Together has added to her life and the community overall, Renee says, “The value I see on our end is the fact that it gives us a place to go–those of us who need that socialization,who need that sense of purpose and belonging. And I think that helps us as much as the person that’s receiving whatever it is that we’ve made.”
Social health contributes greatly to a person’s overall well-being. While many see socialization as just a form of enjoyment, there are numerous health outcomes that can be linked to social connection. Rural communities especially need to focus on social health as people face unique challenges connecting with the community and each other. Keep reading to learn more about social health, the challenges in rural communities and how you can help improve the well-being of others.
What is Social Health?
Kasley Killam defines social health in her article, “What is Social Health?,” as “the aspect of overall well-being that stems from connection and community. It’s about having close bonds with family and friends, enjoying a sense of belonging to groups, and feeling supported, valued and loved.” While the term “social health” is fairly new, it has always been prevalent as it greatly impacts overall health and well-being.
There are a number of factors that contribute to social health and connection. From types of relationships and individual attributes to community and social norms, a person’s social health is shaped through a variety of these variables. See the figure below from “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community, to learn more about what influences social connection.
Health Impacts
Many understand the importance of connection in regards to happiness and quality of life, but the significance also extends to health. Killam goes on to discuss in her article how social health can impact mental and physical health and even determines “how well we live and how long we live.”
According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory, “the effects of social connection, isolation, and loneliness on mortality are comparable, and in some cases greater, than those of many other risk factors.” These include health risks such as smoking, drinking, high blood pressure, physical inactivity and even environmental risks like air pollution.
The U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory goes on to discuss how having or not having good social well-being can influence health outcomes in areas such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, infectious diseases, cognitive function, depression, anxiety, suicidality and self-harm. This ultimately illustrates the importance of connection to others in regards to health and overall well-being.
Social Health in Rural Communities
Rural communities face unique challenges for social connection. Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to loneliness, making it difficult to even identify individuals in need of more connection. Many who experience social isolation or loneliness do not see themselves in that light. Being able to help these individuals requires creative solutions to connect with and provide resources to improve their social health.
Jennifer Franklin and Carrie Henning-Smith discuss what other factors can influence social isolation and loneliness in rural communities in their article, “Approaching the Issue of Rural Social Isolation.” Many rural communities are spread out with residents living further away from neighbors, family and friends. Plus, with a lack of public transportation, it can be challenging for people to even leave their homes. A lack of access to technology and limited internet access can also negatively impact social health as Franklin and Henning-Smith note in their article. If people are unable to communicate over the phone or on the internet, it creates more obstacles for connection. This is especially the case for older adults who may not be familiar with certain technologies even if they have access to it.
However, while there are challenges in rural communities, there are still lots of opportunities for residents to build relationships. Understanding these challenges is essential to reaching out to those experiencing loneliness and social isolation in rural communities.
Impacts
Living in a rural community can also have benefits to social health. Smaller communities are typically close-knit and safer, helping residents form quality relationships with neighbors and other community members. Having social opportunities like TrueNorth’s Community Connections program and Volunteer Services are also essential to improving social health. See the two stories below to see how fostering relationships and renewing purpose can change lives.
Renee’s Story
For Renee, connecting with those around her through Community Connections’ initiative, Knitting All Together, has helped improve her overall well-being and happiness. Being widowed at a young age and suffering from depression, having this opportunity to form relationships and give back to the community has had a positive impact on her life.
TrueNorth’s All Together programs, like Knitting All Together, bring community members together around common interests and volunteerism. Having these opportunities to connect and help those in need has reinvigorated Renee’s life.
The relationships Renee has formed have helped her feel more connected to the community. Hearing about the lives of others while working on projects to donate to local causes has given Renee opportunities to make an impact with the connections she has formed and the work she has done.
When reflecting on the value All Together has added to her life and the community overall, Renee says, “The value I see on our end is the fact that it gives us a place to go–those of us who need that socialization, who need that sense of purpose and belonging. And I think that helps us as much as the person that’s receiving whatever it is that we’ve made.”
Diane’s Story
“I like talking to people, and I know how lonely sometimes I get,” says Diane, a TrueNorth volunteer, about why she decided to volunteer for Call & Connect. “If they don’t have somebody to talk to then I said, ‘I might as well be trying to make a smile on their face, especially if they don’t get out.’”
Call & Connect is a new volunteer opportunity that is a part of Community Connections. This initiative pairs volunteers with older adults in Newaygo County who would benefit from extra social interaction. Call & Connect aims to spread kindness and encouragement through a simple phone call, helping everyone feel a part of our community.
Diane is one of the first volunteers for Call & Connect. She also participates in TrueNorth’s Community Connections program and understands the importance of socialization and relationships. Diane says, “If they know somebody else is out there that cares, maybe it will help them feel better.”
How to Help Improve Social Health in Rural Michigan
There are a number of ways to help improve social health in rural Michigan. Whether it’s reaching out to those feeling isolated or supporting programs that work to boost connection, you can make an impact.
TrueNorth’s Social Health Initiatives
At TrueNorth Community Services, we believe that everyone deserves access to opportunities to receive help, connect and give back. Learn more about our social health initiatives below.
Community Connections
TrueNorth’s Community Connections program works to provide opportunities for all by creating safe spaces for people to connect with and serve the community. Community Connections is made up of caring individuals looking to form lasting relationships, share meaningful experiences and serve our community to help our neighbors thrive. With initiatives such as All Together, Community Friends and Coffee Connections, there are opportunities for everyone to get involved:
All Together: This initiative brings people together through volunteerism and acts of kindness through special interest volunteer groups, such as Baking All Together and Knitting All Together.
Community Friends: This initiative facilitates opportunities for community members to build relationships and engage in new experiences. From coming together to play cards at our Joker’s Wild group to going on seasonal day trips, there are a number of ways to connect with others and the surrounding area.
Coffee Connections: This initiative provides opportunities for people to form meaningful relationships and engage with the community right from their apartment buildings. Residents at Newaygo County apartments meet on front lawns, in garages or in apartments, uniting neighbors who otherwise may not have the opportunity to meet.
As one of TrueNorth’s Community Connections and volunteer initiatives, Call & Connect pairs volunteers with older adults in Newaygo County who would benefit from extra social connections. The goal of this initiative is to reach those experiencing isolation through kind words and encouragement.
For more information or to get involved with Call & Connect, please contact Charlie Forbes at cforbes@truenorthservices.org or (231) 924-0641, ext. 112.
Social health is integral to our neighbors’ and community’s well-being. By building relationships with those around you, you can greatly impact your own and others’ health. Make a real difference in the lives of people just like Renee and Diane when you get involved by donating or volunteering today.
Mentoring comes in every shape and size! Since January is National Mentor Month, it’s only natural we share about some of our mentoring matches. Learn about a few of our “one-on-one” matches currently mentoring with TrueMentors.
Laura and Riley are currently our longest matched pair, having been together over five years. When they first began, Laura and her husband Justin didn’t have any children, so spending time with 12-year-old Riley was easy.
“She’s just become part of our family, and has gotten to see how we do things and how we interact as a family,” she said, adding she was “surprised how easy and fun it was!” Even now, as a mother of a 5-year-old and a baby, she still finds it easy.
Cathy is retired, and decided to become a mentor “later in life” after noticing lots of fun and interesting things going on in the community. She has nieces and nephews who are about the same age as her mentee, Cora, but live far away: “I thought; I’m sure there’s somebody around here who would attend those things with me,” she said. She also said she was surprised at how much fun it’s been.
Cathy continued, “When we go to the beach, we go and jump in the waves and when I go to the beach by myself, I sit there and read a book. When I go with my husband, we walk, but when I go with Cora, we go and play on the dunes.”
When married couple Rachel and Greg asked if they could mentor together, we told them, while atypical for our “one-on-one” matches, it has been done before. They were set up with a precocious 6-year-old boy named Gannon, and now have a year of mentoring under their collective belts.
“I’ve learned as much as I’ve taught,” said Greg. “Getting a child’s perspective on things in life is really fun to see.”
If we’ve learned anything, since offering mentoring programs over the last 53 years, it is that mentoring is not one-size-fits-all. Due to this, TrueMentors offers site-based, community-based, adventure-based, and both group and one-on-one mentoring opportunities to best meet the needs of the youth involved. These mentoring opportunities are also able to align with the availability, interests and passions of our adult mentors. To learn more or get involved contact us as (231) 924-0641 or mentoring@truenorthservices.org.
The “Dream in Art” initiative invited youth to reflect on Dr. King’s vision of equality, justice and unity by designing impactful posters inspired by his message. Students were encouraged to creatively represent what Dr. King’s dream means to them and how we can work together to create a better, more inclusive world.
“He inspired a lot of people with his speeches,” said Bentley, an 8th grader at Baldwin Jr. High. “I drew a picture of Dr. King, as best I could, and I’m going to put a bunch of his quotes all around it…”
Kairi, a sixth grader, built a miniature podium out of popsicle sticks and a small Dr. King paper doll to stand behind it, as a 3-D component to her poster, while Onia, another sixth grader, painted a portrait of Dr. King, which she planned to add to her poster.
Students in our Out-of-School Time Programs at Baldwin Jr. High, Hart Middle School, Hesperia Elementary and Middle Schools, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Academy in Muskegon Heights and at White Cloud Elementary and Jr. High all participated in this activity.
Blake Dockery, a Program Assistant at Baldwin Jr. High said it is important to teach about Dr. King “So his message is not forgotten.”
“We showed the students Dr. King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech in preparation for this,” said Cecelia Hamilton, Site Coordinator at Baldwin Jr. High. “We asked the students what they had learned about Dr. King and quite a few of them knew quite a bit!”
“I like talking to people, and I know how lonely sometimes I get,” says Diane, a TrueNorth volunteer, about why she decided to volunteer for Call & Connect. “If they don’t have somebody to talk to then I said, ‘I might as well be trying to make a smile on their face, especially if they don’t get out.’”
Call & Connect is a new volunteer opportunity that pairs volunteers with older adults in Newaygo County who would benefit from extra social interaction. This initiative aims to spread kindness and encouragement through a simple phone call, helping everyone feel a part of our community.
Diane is one of the first volunteers for Call & Connect. She also participates in Community Connections and understands the importance of socialization and relationships. Diane says, “If they know somebody else is out there that cares, maybe it will help them feel better.”
Although Diane is just starting to volunteer for Call & Connect, she is looking forward to continuing conversations and building relationships. These conversations not only impact those who are called but will also impact the caller as they engage with each other.
“I want to try to be an encouragement to other people,” says Diane. “It’s a good thing to do to help brighten somebody else’s day.” Join caring people like Diane when you volunteer for Call & Connect. For more information or to get involved with Call & Connect, please contact Charlie Forbes, TrueNorth’s Volunteer Hub Coordinator, at (231) 924-0641, ext. 112 or cforbes@truenorthservices.org.
January is National Mentoring Month–putting a spotlight on the importance of mentoring relationships. Youth need positive influences in their lives to succeed, and mentoring is a major part of their development.
Check out the rest of the article to learn more about National Mentoring Month, the importance and benefits of mentoring, youth mentoring stories and how you can get involved to ensure youth thrive.
What is National Mentoring Month?
National Mentoring Month aims to raise awareness of the importance of mentoring, recruit mentors and promote mentoring as a whole through celebrating meaningful mentor relationships. According to MENTOR, National Mentoring Month began in 2002 when “MENTOR and the Harvard T.H. School of Public Health created National Mentoring Month to amplify, encourage and strengthen mentorship for young people.” This movement puts a spotlight on mentoring, ultimately showing individuals and communities how one relationship can change a child’s life.
From holding awareness events to recruiting mentors and raising funds for mentoring programs, there are a number of ways to get involved and make a difference. Keep reading to learn more about the importance and benefits of mentoring and how you can support youth this January and beyond.
Importance of Youth Mentorships
Positive influences and role models are crucial for youth development and well-being. Unfortunately, there are many children and teens in need of mentorship. According to MENTOR’s study, “Who Mentored You?,” by Micheal Garringer and Chelsea Benning, about 1.8 million young adults ages 18 to 24 nationwide “not only didn’t have a mentor but couldn’t nominate anyone that they felt was a meaningful person” in their lives. The study also found that youth living in poverty or rural areas were less likely to have mentors than those in higher income households and urban communities. This disparity of mentorship access shows the great need for mentors in low-income and rural communities.
Whether youth engage in mentoring through community programs or connect with a mentor informally, the most important part is having someone there providing support and guidance. Having a positive relationship with mentors helps provide youth with a sense of belonging and security. There are a number of benefits mentoring brings as seen below.
Benefits of Youth Mentorships
Youth with mentors experience life-long benefits from the relationship. Many mentors and mentees even stay connected as children grow into adulthood, continuing to influence and guide them as they navigate life changes.
According to youth.gov, youth who experience a mentoring relationship have:
“Increased high school graduation rates
Lower high school dropout rates
Healthier relationships and lifestyle choices
Better attitudes about school
Higher college enrollment rates and higher educational aspirations
Enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence
Improved behavior, both at home and at school
Stronger relationships with parents, teachers and peers
Improved interpersonal skills”
All of these benefits set youth up for better quality of life through education, mental health well-being and social well-being. Mentors also can help provide new experiences youth otherwise may not have access to. This not only helps mentors and mentees bond, but it also helps youth grow outside their comfort zone and find new interests.
Mentors also experience benefits from their mentorships. Being able to see the world from a child’s perspective helps mentors gain a new perspective for the little things in life. Mentors also experience increased self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment as youth.gov explains. Knowing they are impacting someone else’s life provides a new sense of purpose, motivating mentors to continue to give their time to support their mentees.
Support Mentoring and Make a Difference
You can positively impact a child’s life. Whether you become a mentor, advocate for youth in need or donate to mentoring programs, you can help ensure all youth have access to vital mentoring programs.
January is National Mentoring Month, which is the perfect time to get involved. Learn more about the opportunities at TrueNorth Community Services to make a difference in your community this month and beyond.
TrueNorth’s Opportunities
At TrueNorth Community Services, we offer three mentoring initiatives in our TrueMentors program. Each program offers unique experiences for children who can participate in any or all of the programming opportunities listed below.
TrueBlue Academy
TrueBlue Academy is a partnership between TrueNorth Community Services, local school districts and police departments. This small group mentoring program provides learning and growth opportunities for students in Newaygo and White Cloud Public Schools.
Aiden Grows into His Best Self at TrueBlue Academy
For fourteen-year-old Aiden, having the extra support from TrueBlue Academy has had a positive impact on his life. “I feel more confident in myself as a person in general. It’s more easy to go out and talk to people,” says Aiden about his time at the program.
Aiden is a part of the program that operates in partnership with White Cloud Public School where he attends the program once a week during the school day. The program is run by TrueNorth staff with help from the school’s Resource Officer, Kyle Rasch.
Being able to build relationships with Aiden and the other kids has been his favorite part of the program. “They don’t look at me like a police officer, they look at me as a friend and somebody they can talk to and come to for advice,” says Officer Rasch. “To hear him [Aiden] actually say how it got him to open up to other kids and made him more confident, like that’s the most rewarding part.”
Knowing he can come to Officer Rasch at TrueBlue Academy and throughout the school day has given Aiden the extra support he needs to succeed. Not only has Officer Rasch been a positive role model for Aiden, but Aiden sees him as a friend and person to go to when he needs help.
TrueMentors’ Community Mentoring
For TrueMentors’ Community Mentoring, Newaygo County youth are matched with volunteer mentors in a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Matches are based on similar interests, geographic location and similar goals.
Kyrin and Kathy Grow Together
“Amazing,” that’s the word sixteen-year-old mentee Kyrin used to describe her relationship with her mentor Kathy. Being matched for over a year now, both have grown as individuals and in their friendship.
Kyrin and Kathy are an active match. They both enjoy spending time outdoors and having new experiences together. One of Kyrin’s most memorable moments with Kathy so far was going kayaking together for the first time. While Kyrin likely would not have done this on her own, she felt “safe doing that” with Kathy even though “it’s out of [her] comfort zone.”
Having Kathy to talk to and spend time with has positively impacted Kyrin’s life. Both Kathy and Kyrin are looking forward to continuing their relationship and being able to grow older together.
“It’s made me feel a lot better because being like a teenager you feel like you have no one to talk to,” says Kyrin about spending time with Kathy. “You feel like you’re always on your own, like no one’s ever there for you. It’s nice to actually have someone that’s like ‘yeah let’s go hang out.’”
TrueMentors’ Parks in Focus
Parks in Focus is an outdoor-based group mentoring program run through TrueMentors with support from the Udall Foundation. Youth go on a variety of outdoor outings while they connect with nature through photography.
Danny Builds Confidence in Herself at Parks in Focus
Being a part of Parks in Focus has helped Danny feel more comfortable around others. Not only has Danny come out of her shell, but she has also formed new friendships with different kids throughout Newaygo County in the program.
“The program has helped me get out of my comfort zone,” says Danny about the impact being in Parks in Focus has had on her life. “Before I was in Parks in Focus I used to get really nervous around people, but now that’s kind of calmed down and I’m not really nervous.”
The new experiences Parks in Focus provides helps Danny leave her comfort zone in a safe environment. Having time to build relationships while experiencing new things with the other kids has enabled Danny to grow throughout the time she’s been in the program.
Seeing the impact mentoring programs like TrueMentors has on youth illustrates the importance of mentoring. You can impact lives for a lifetime when you become a mentor. From community mentoring to TrueBlue Academy and Parks in Focus, there are a number of opportunities for you to help area youth flourish. Get involved today to make a difference in the lives of youth just like Aiden, Kyrin and Danny.
“I think it’s a really important program, not just for the kids, but also for the adults, because I think it helps kids and adults stay in touch,” says mentor Cathy about the importance of TrueMentors she’s seen through her mentorship with her mentee, Cora. “I think it’s just an extra level of fun – and it’s nice to have somebody to talk to who’s a third party, but cares about you.”
For Cora, knowing that she can rely on Cathy has allowed her to open up and trust her. “Crazy fun,” is how Cora describes their relationship. Cora and Cathy are an active match. From going to the beach, seeing sand dunes and being in nature to baking and doing a variety of crafts, they enjoy getting out and being creative.
Cathy especially enjoys these activities with Cora as she sees the world through her eyes. She says, “When we’ve gone to the beach, we go and we jump in the waves and when I go to the beach by myself, I sit there and read a book…It’s just a lot more fun to have Cora to do it with.”
Sharing these experiences with Cora has been extremely rewarding for Cathy. She sees Cora’s imagination at work whenever they are together and encourages her to explore new things. All of Cathy’s support has created a safe space for Cora to learn and grow.
“Sometimes like I don’t have anyone to do things with…she’s nice and likes to do crafts,” says Cora about why she enjoys her mentorship with Cathy. Not only do Cora and Cathy share similar interests, but most importantly, they also have cultivated a strong relationship–ultimately helping Cora flourish.
Neveah wasn’t originally planning on going on the week-long Parks in Focus summer immersion trip. However, once she was there, she had fun learning new things and made new friends in a safe environment.
“I needed to basically get out more and just spend more time with, I guess myself,” says Neveah about why she wanted to be a part of Parks in Focus. “My favorite part was probably just meeting everyone and kind of making friends.”
While being away from home with kids she hadn’t met before was a little intimidating at first, Neveah quickly made friends and flourished. Being able to be in the moment as she went on hikes, swam and learned how to take pictures allowed Neveah to open up more.
Neveah’s favorite activity from the summer immersion trip was seeing all of the waterfalls. She even learned new photography techniques as she and the other kids had fun taking macro (up close) photos of raindrops after it rained one day. Most importantly, Neveah grew closer with the rest of the group as they learned and had new experiences together.
“I think I got to, I guess, learn how to interact with more people that I haven’t met before and just make friends a lot easier…I had a lot of fun,” reflects Neveah on what she learned from the trip. Building these friendships helped Neveah grow as she became more confident with her new support system.
