RECRUITING MENTORS TO SAVE A GENERATION
Fall 2020
Creating a More Equitable and Just Future
Today, our country is caught up in great racial and economic upheaval. This turmoil is set against a public health pandemic, which is disproportionately impacting the health and economic well-being of Black families in our city and state.
 
In mid-March when Seattle Public Schools moved their classes online, Seattle CARES reacted quickly. Within a few weeks, we transitioned our Rising program, currently in two Seattle middle schools, to an all-virtual setting. Our Community Wellness Circles and Positive Family Connections programs went online, as well.
 
This sounded good in theory but we soon found out that many of our students did not have a laptop or computer. Others did not have WiFi because their parents had lost their jobs or had reduced hours and wages. There was not enough money to just get through the month.
 
We reached out to our community partners to supply computer equipment, financial and technical support. If families needed rent support or food, we linked them up with agencies that could help. We were determined not to let our students or families down. You can read more about our programs, partners and mentors in this issue of Momentum. And be sure to take a look at our story on our new superhero curriculum which we launched this spring.

Each of us needs to decide how we can help create a healthier, more equitable and more just community. Some might decide to make a donation. Others might choose to volunteer or become a mentor. Whichever path your choose, we thank you for your continued support.

Don Cameron, Executive Director
Seattle CARES Mentoring Movement
Superhero curriculum inspires The Rising scholars
When the pandemic hit, Seattle CARES had to move quickly to create an engaging online program for young scholars in The Rising. Each scholar was asked to develop a superhero version of himself; each group created a narrative. See how these scholars and local volunteer creative consultants make the results "out of this world." READ MORE.
Spotlight: Greg Banks
CARES Mentor since 2017
Greg Banks has been a Seattle CARES mentor since we launched Our Best in 2017. Employed in health care, Banks was one of the first men we recruited into Our Best and one of the first to complete mentor orientation and training. Now he is serving in The Rising program where he mentors a 13-year-old student at Meany Middle School. We talked to Banks recently about the value of mentoring. READ MORE.
The Rising Goes Online
When COVID-19 shut down Seattle public Schools in March 2020, teachers and parents had to scramble. So did Seattle CARES. The CARES team had to make sure that students in The Rising, an innovative trauma-informed curriculum in two Seattle middle schools, could continue the program online. READ MORE
Survey Shows Increased Racial Pride and Identity
Students in The Rising were interviewed at the start of the 2019-20 school year and again the following June. During that time, the survey team, led by Dr. Lynn Smith of the Bethune Institute, discovered that the Rising scholars experienced increased self-confidence and higher levels of racial identity and pride. "Students also improved in social and emotional intelligence," said Dr. Smith. READ MORE.
Healing Space for Parents
Positive Family Connections is a new program for parents that grew out of The Rising. Its goals: To improve the relationship that Black youth have with their parents and to provide a safe space for adults, who want to be more effective parents, to de-stress, share challenges and work on healing themselves. READ MORE.
The Rising Gets High Grades
The Rising partners with two Seattle schools whose principals fully support our program goals. We asked Chandra Oatis, Meany Middle School, and Mawiayah Fields, Denny International Middle School, to share feedback. See what students and parents told them about The Rising, an innovative program supported by the 4-C Coalition and King County's Best Starts for Kids. READ MORE.
News from Seattle CARES
Did You Know...
... 84 percent of Black children do not read or do math at grade level?

... Homicide is the leading cause of death for Black boys?

... Suicide rates for Black children have doubled?

Our innovative programs have been proven to make a difference!

Help us change the lives of Black youths and families in our communities today. LEARN MORE.
Be A Mentor. Save a Youth.
Interested in becoming a mentor?

To keep our community safe, mentor orientation sessions are now online. It's easy to participate on your laptop or cellphone.

Our next orientation sessions:
October 10, 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
November 14, 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
There are many ways to save a generation! Donate today!
We are grateful for the support of all our mentors, partners and donors. You too can be part of the mentoring movement by making a donation to Seattle CARES. It's easy; just click on the donation button, right.
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Seattle Cares Mentoring Movement
206-724-8681