Dear Friends,
For years research has shown that quality mentoring programs reduce dropout and incarceration rates among at-risk kids. In addition, children with a positive mentoring relationship are more likely to do well in school, aspire to graduate from a university, participate in extracurricular activities such as sports and music, are more likely to hold a leadership position in a school or church organization, and to go on to be a mentor for another at-risk child.
That is why one of the focuses of the ministries of NLAI is mentoring at-risk children – either directly or by identifying, training, and matching Christian mentors from outside the organization with the children that we serve. I hope you will take the time to hear from Roblans Mejia from Echo Reach, from NLCH’s Mentor Program Coordinator Kourtney Nance, and from William Fuentes, who along with his wife, Tara, has not only mentored kids at NLCH, but recently took one of our boys who is turning 18 into their home to live.
Blessings,
Kendon Wheeler,
NLAI President
