Performers from Stand & Deliver sang the national anthem

Bright sun and pleasant, mild fall weather greeted the matches and

programs who joined MMP for Mentoring Day at Fenway on Monday. Postponed from May due to a rain-out, the Sox vs. Orioles game was still a special day for the hundreds of mentors and mentees from across Massachusetts who experienced the thrill of a Sox baseball game. Several pairs of mentors and mentees from around the state even participated in pre-game activities, such as tossing the ceremonial first pitch. MMP President & CEO David Shapiro appeared on NESN and WEEI in-game to discuss the Red Sox Mentoring Challenge and the need for mentors. Check out our pictures on Facebook to see how great the day was. 

  

The New England Patriots Charitable Foundation is embarking on a season-long program celebrating different areas of volunteerism to honor the memory of Myra Kraft. The team reached out to MMP to inquire about featuring mentoring, and we're excited that next week (Sept. 25) they will highlight a variety of ways that people can get involved in mentoring. The Patriots will also honor "Difference Makers" - volunteers who've made a difference - and have selected Amanda Martinez from Big Sister Association of Greater Boston and Pat Stephan from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest. Be sure to check out the team's web site next week to see the spotlight on mentoring.

 

CollegeFest recruitment opportunity

Mass Mentoring Partnership is looking to secure booth space at this year's CollegeFest, Oct. 1 (Noon to 7 p.m.) and Oct. 2 (Noon to 6 p.m.) at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. CollegeFest attracts up to 15,000 attendees, and is a fun event to raise awareness about your program, and a recruitment opportunity that could garner a number of inquiries.

Before we begin the process of securing a table, we want to be sure that programs will definitely attend. If you know that you would like to attend CollegeFest, please contact Marty Martinez at mmartinez@massmentors.org or 617.695.2448 with your date preference and a tentative 90-minute timeframe that you would be able to attend. We will then let you know if we are able to secure booth space.

 

Public awareness efforts

MMP staff members have been conducting outreach to various state legislators' offices, asking them to submit op-eds on the value of mentoring and local mentoring programs to their districts' newspapers. We are grateful that many responded positively, resulting in compelling pieces in papers like the Melrose Free Press, Fall River Herald, and more.

 

Additionally, thanks to generous support from State Street, MMP has launched a first-time MBTA ad campaign, with back-to-school themed ads running on the Green and Red lines, and the Albany bus route. Be on the lookout!

  

Registration is filling up for the Northeast Regional Mentoring Conference, to be held Oct. 13 and 14 at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel and Conference Center. The full listing of workshops has recently been updated. Visit our event page for more information on the event, including how to get discounted hotel rooms. Register at this link.

  

• MMP has been chosen as a "lighting partner" for the Prudential Center's 31 Nights of Lights this December. Our lighting is Dec. 14 - please mark this on your calendar and we will send more information when it is available.
• The 2011 Annual Massachusetts Nonprofit Network and Associated Grantmakers Conference & Expo is Thursday, Oct. 20, in Marlborough. The focus of this year's conference is leadership - don't miss out!
• Know amazing STEM mentors? Submit their stories to the Afterschool Alliance. These stories aim to inspire others to get involved.
• The Harvard School of Public Health produced Eat Well, Stay Active, Have Fun: A Guide for Mentors. Please let us know if you would like hard copies of this guide in either English or Spanish, by sending an email to ldean@massmentors.org.
• Have you checked out the MMP blog yet? You can subscribe to ensure you receive all the latest updates.

 

And finally, a big welcome back to MMP's 

President & CEO David Shapiro!