News Article

Gonzaga University has received a $202,047 grant from Washington State Mentors (WSM) for the Mentoring At-Risk Youth Project. Gonzaga is the only educational institution among seven entities receiving a portion of $3.5 million from WSM to support at-risk youth in 13 counties statewide.

Gonzaga’s project, to be administered by the University’s Center for Community Action and Service Learning, will fund up to 150 “matches” over five years, including 55 new mentor-mentee pairs or matches. The center already manages 100 mentor-mentee pairs, which are comprised of Gonzaga University students working one-on-one with at-risk fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders from three nearby schools.

The grant also will support research to help identify best practices in mentoring that can be replicated statewide and nationally.

WSM’s support will provide vital resources to both grow Gonzaga’s program and document successful methods of helping youngsters, said Andy Malone, mentoring program coordinator.

"With mentoring, it is hard to show improvement in self-esteem, academic performance and overall perspective on life without a large research investment,” Malone said. “What this grant gives us are the resources to show that mentoring works and the ability to go out in the community and show our results.”

Other grant recipients are Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Inland Northwest, Big Brothers Big Sisters Northwest Washington, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Snohomish County, and Volunteers of America Western Washington. 
            Washington State Mentors serves as a nonprofit umbrella organization for the state’s mentoring community. Formed in 2004, WSM is a public/private partnership and receives support from organizations and agencies such as Costco Wholesale and Washington state’s Department of Social and Health Services. With the support of many like-minded individuals, organizations and businesses, WSM aims to close the mentoring gap in Washington state by building awareness around the idea that mentoring works. 
          For more information contact Sima Thorpe, director of Gonzaga’s Center for Community Action and Service Learning, via e-mail or at (509) 323-6856.