Why I'm Running

On Monday, April 18th, four individuals will run the Boston Marathon for Silver Lining Mentoring.  In this story, Branden Getchell shares why he's running for Silver Lining.

Branden found himself in a number of foster homes as a child where he was separated from his four siblings and shuffled through a number of school districts.  It wasn't until he found stability in his final foster home and met strong mentors that he was able to prepare for and seize so many life altering opportunities. 

A poignant moment in my journey to adulthood came when I was 13 years old. I was failing all of my classes and on the cusp of being held back in the eighth grade. By this time, I'd already been shuffled through a number of different foster homes and school districts. The thought of being separated from my siblings, again, and having to sleep in another bed that was not my own, was nauseating. I found myself dragging my feet toward another police cruiser putting on show for all of my friends and neighbors to see. I met another social worker who bounced me around to a few placements, before I found the place I call home today.

When I arrived at the Tolson household, my siblings and I had only the clothes on our back and the items our social worker instructed us to pack for the weekend. The Tolsons were newly registered foster parents taking in youth on short-term emergency basis. As it became apparent that our stay would not be short, my two younger siblings were forced to move to another home and my older brother opted into a different foster home in order to stay within the school district we grew up in.

I on the other hand was faced with one of the toughest decisions of my life at 13 years old; the decision to stay with the Tolsons or to leave and stay within my comfort zone.





Click the pictures below to see why Natasha, Morgan & Elisa  are running 
t he Boston Marathon for Silver Lining Mentoring:

           















  
Silver Lining Mentoring thanks  John Hancock Boston Marathon Non-Profit Program for our four bibs for the 2016 Boston Marathon!


The Science of Inclusion

At Silver Lining Mentoring, one of our values is cultural responsiveness. We believe that diversity strengthens communities and we are committed to listening and responding to all voices to promote respect, compassion, and social change. Each month, one of our Staff Members shares a resource about cultural responsiveness and our entire Staff meets together to discuss. We look forward to sharing our cultural responsiveness pieces with you in the months ahead. 

This month, we watched The Science of Inclusion, a TedTalk by Quinetta Roberson which shares the importance of bringing "inclusion" into conversations about cultural responsiveness.  

At Silver Lining, we work to ensure that young people in foster care are not excluded based on any aspect of their identity.  Rather, we strive to guarantee that young people, and all those we come into contact with, are valued, respected and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. 

If you're interested in joining our discussions on how to be a better ally for the people that we serve at Silver Lining Mentoring, please visit our website or contact us.  

Supporter Spotlight: John Hancock


This month we are showing our gratitude to John Hancock for their overwhelming support of Silver Lining Mentoring!  

We are grateful to John Hancock for awarding us four bibs for the Boston Marathon and being a generous sponsor of Match 2016.  

Thank you, John Hancock for your ongoing and generous support of Silver Lining Mentoring's mission to support youth in foster care! 




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