United Way is focused on helping children and youth achieve their potential, and has several initiatives that support that goal.  Beginning with our Early Literacy initiatives, United Way is taking a comprehensive approach to:

Readiness to achieve in school
Academic achievement and completion
Productive and engaged youth

Early literacy experts know that third grade reading is a key to a child’s future academic success.  That is why United Way invests in initiatives such as Born Learning and our Schools of Hope.  Equally important is keeping kids on track and improving the graduation rate throughout the region.

United Way is targeting these specific outcomes through our initiatives to improve academic completion:

More high school students graduating college-ready;
More parental involvement in their children’s’ education;
More mentors recruited;
More mentors retained;
More students reading at grade level by grade three;
More coordinated delivery of out-of-school-time activities.

Mentoring
Every young person needs the support of at least one caring adult. A special adult who takes the time to establish a close personal bond, offer friendship, and guide or advise, can inspire a child or youth to greater achievement in school, more and better friendships with classmates, and avoidance of drugs and alcohol. A growing body of research proves this.

An estimated 160,000 children (25 percent) of Connecticut youth face challenges that place them at risk for poverty, health, family, or other serious problems.

There is a critical shortage of mentors in Connecticut, especially male and minority mentors. Of the children who could benefit from a mentor, only 12 percent are matched with one.  Youth who have fewer resources, including those attending low-performing schools, those with inadequate levels of family support, those living in poverty and those with low motivation levels, benefit the most from mentoring.

Bridgeport Alliance for Mentoring
In 2007, United Way partnered with the Governor’s Mentoring Partnership to conduct a community assessment of the resources and gaps in service in the mentoring area. An outgrowth of this work is the Bridgeport Alliance for Mentoring (BAM), with which United Way is aligning itself to help support the movement.  In its first year of partnership, there were approximately 1,200 mentees enrolled  in the mentoring programs. 

The BAM group consists of the following mentoring programs:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest. CT
 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Connecticut matches children in mentoring relationships with screened, trained caring adult volunteers. Professional case managers provide ongoing support for the duration of the relationship. After a year with a "Big", children typically improve their grades and school attendance, increase their satisfaction with their family and peer relationships and feel better about themselves.
 "Little moments...big magic."

Call 203 366-3766 for more information and to become a mentor, or visit their website at www.bbbsswct.org.

Bridge Academy
Founded in 1997, the Bridge Academy is a public charter high school that works to prepare inner-city students for college.  Our school is designed to overcome the obstacles many Bridgeport teenagers face when trying to finish high school and further their education.  Thus fa, the Bridge Academy has been extremely successful:  our CAPT scores are significantly higher than those of the regular Bridgeport school and higher than some neighboring suburbs.  Second, the Bridge Academy was the only school in Bridgeport that made Annual Yearly  Progress as defined by the No Child Left Behind act.  Finally, one hundred percent of our seniors are accepted to college.  To help achieve these goals, the Bridge Academy offers a mentor program to juniors and seniors.  We ask volunteers to spend at least one morning a month with a student and Bridge Academy provides transportation for the student to the mentor's place of business.

For more information and to become a mentor, contact Nancy Larocca at (203) 218-0179.

Casey Family Services
Casey Family Services' Bridgeport Division has many exciting and rewarding opportunities for volunteers. We are looking for volunteers who can provide direct services to children and families through mentoring and tutoring, working on clerical projects, and developing creative activities and events for children and families. .

Casey Family Services is a fully licensed and accredited nonprofit child welfare agency. If you have an interest in working with us to help improve the lives of vulnerable children, please come to an information session at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 23, 2008, at Casey Family Services, 789 Reservoir Ave, Bridgeport, CT.

Please call or email Carmen at (203) 396-5732 or cnieves@caseyfamilyservices.org to reserve seating. To learn more about the agency and our work log onto www.caseyfamilyservices.org.

Child Guidance Center of Greater Bridgeport, Inc.
Foster Grandparent Program
Opportunity for low-income senior citizens to earn a non-taxable stipend by volunteering 20 hours a week in a local elementary school helping children, one on one, to learn to read.

For more information, please contact Sara Witherington at 203-394-6529, x3044, or email her at swwitherington@cgcgb.org, or visit their website at www.cgcgb.org.

Covenant to Care
My Mentor & Me (M3)
The M3 Program will provide faith-based mentoring to children who reside in the Greater Bridgeport, New Britain, New Haven and Waterbury, Connecticut areas and have a mother in prison.  Referrals are accepted by telephone, in person or in writing.  A home visit is arranged with the child’s community parent/guardian to begin the process.  Carefully screened and trained mentors are matched with a child.  Social Workers provide counseling and support to their families.  Mentors are expected to make at least a one-year commitment.  Partners of the M3 Program meet on a regular basis to share information, address children and family needs, and coordinate activities.

For more information or if you are interested in becoming a mentor, please contact Program Coordinator Rick Davis at 203-377-4037 or send an email to rdavis@covenanttocare.org.

First Tee
The First Tee Metropolitan New York has a facility at Fairchild Wheeler Golf Course.  The mission of The First Tee is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life enhancing values through the game of golf.  Our mentoring program meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at the golf course.

Contact: Jan Schechter, program coordinator at jschechter@thefirstteemetny.org or visit www.thefirstteemetny.org.

Housatonic Community College
Success Coaching will increase student success and retention by engaging Housatonic Community College students with individual Success Coaches in various class-based activities that promote student success.  A Career Success Panel discussion will promote career selection, thereby enhancing students’ long range goals to increase student success.

For more information, please contact Success Coaching Co-Chairs Andrea Salzburg, Grants Development Specialist at 203-332-8546 or send an email to asalzburg@hcc.commnet.edu, Pam Pirog, Assistant Professor of Accounting at 203-332-5124 or send an email to ppirog@hcc.commnet.edu.

MAACS
Mentoring for Academic Achievement and College Success (MAACS) is a program college preparatory mentoring program that pairs high school students with college mentors.  The MAACS program helps high school students navigate the college decision-making process through weekly, one-on-one meetings with assigned mentors from local colleges/universities.  Please visit us at www.bpef.org to find out more about our MAACS program and other services offered to the Bridgeport community.

MAACS is a program of the Bridgeport Public Education Fund, Inc. - Celebrating 25 years
Public involvement                         Public education                              Public benefit

To find out more about MAACS mentoring opportunities, please contact:  Faith Harrison-Villegas, Program Coordinator, Bridgeport Public Education Fund, 446 University Avenue, Bridgeport, CT 06604, (203) 338-0517 (office)/ 209-2246 (cell)

Sacred Heart University
Mi Amigo is a Mentoring program at Sacred Heart University that is held at Luis Munoz Marin Elementary School.  Sacred Heart University students spend an hour with their mentees once a week throughout the school year.  This is a year-long commitment, which allows freshman through senior mentors to interact with elementary students and be a positive role model.  The mentors help the mentees with homework and life skills; there are field trips throughout the year that allow the mentees to experience new activities and events.  For more information contact Dawn Doucette, the Coordinator of Volunteer Programs at Sacred Heart University, 203-365-7622 or doucetted@sacredheart.edu.  Visit our link of volunteer opportunities http://www.sacredheart.edu/pages/2618_volunteer_opportunities.cfm.

School Volunteer Association of Bpt.
The Bridgeport Mentoring Program is a school based program that takes place on school grounds during the day.  Mentors typically meet with their mentees for an hour a week at lunchtime. During their time together they may play games, work on projects or help with school work.  Children are referred to the program by school personnel who believe that they will benefit from the attention of caring adults who can act as positive role models.  Reliability is critical in establishing the relationships, and mentors are asked to commit to at least one school year.  Applicants should contact the School Volunteer Office at 576-7808 or 371-4617 or send an email to agribbon@bridgeportedu.net.

ACE Mentoring Program
Fairfield University
Family Reentry
Hall Neighborhood House
Jewish Family Services
Raphola Taylor Community Center/YMCA

If you would like additional information about the Bridgeport Alliance for Mentoring, please contact Jim Crispino at 203-339-6319.