IN THIS ISSUE

26th Annual Role Model Dinner

 

Our 26th annual Role Model Dinner is only two months away! The dinner will be held on Thursday, March 26th, from 5:30-9pm at The Fillmore Detroit. Tickets are $200 each and will go on sale next week. Click here  to meet the 2015 Role Models and to learn about sponsorship and advertising opportunities.

JANUARY 2015
Alternatives For Girls
News

 
Tomorrow, January 31, is the last day to double the impact of your gift! Thanks to a generous matching gift from the Rush Group and the group's CEO, Andra Rush, gifts made from October 15, 2014 through January 31, 2015 will be doubled for the girls and women we serve, up to a total of $200,000.

 

Click here to donate now!

 

Thank you to everyone who has donated to support our crucial programs. Every dollar truly makes a world of difference in the lives of the girls and women we serve!


Read on to hear about our CEO's exciting reappointment, meet two AFG mentors, and learn how you can become an AFG volunteer!   

AFG CEO Reappointed to MCJJ

This month AFG Chief Executive Officer, Amy Good, was reappointed to the Michigan Committee on Juvenile Justice (MCJJ). Created by Executive Order 2012-1, the 15-member committee advises the governor on juvenile justice issues and guides effective implementation of juvenile justice policies and programs. We are looking for mentors who will work with young girls in our Prevention Department and mentors who will work with our Outreach Department, which focuses on youth leaving the juvenile justice system.

Amy was first appointed to the committee in 2003 and has now been reappointed five times, three times by Governor Jennifer Granholm and two times by Governor Rick Synder. On behalf of the board of directors, staff, volunteers, and the girls and women we serve: Congratulations, Amy!

National Mentoring Month  

 

In 2014, MENTOR released a report that included the first ever nationally representative survey of young people on the topic of mentoring. In this report it was found that youth who were at risk for not completing high school but had a mentor were 55% more likely to be enrolled in college than those who did not have a mentor [i].

 

Created in 2002, National Mentoring Month is celebrated each January and focuses national attention on the need for mentors, as well as how individuals and communities can work together to increase the number of mentors to assure positive outcomes for our young people.   

 

In honor of National Mentoring Month, we took time to spotlight two of our very own volunteer mentors for making a powerful impact in the life of their mentee and helping youth make their own powerful choices. AFG has focused on matching youth with adult mentors for many years and currently has two

Mentor and Mentee
Erica and her mentee enjoying a day of arts and crafts!

mentoring programs at AFG, one in the Prevention Department that

matches girls and young women with mentors and another in the Outreach

Department, which focuses on getting mentors for youth leaving the juvenile justice system. 

 

Erica came to AFG looking for a way to give back and empower young girls in the community. She was matched with a young woman from our Prevention Program who was in need of a mentor. The two started their mentor relationship in December 2014 and have already benefited from their relationship greatly. Erica is looking forward to learning more about her mentee and supporting her in her future aspirations to become a doctor!  


Michelle, who's already very active in the community, decided to commit even
Mentor and mentee
Michelle and her mentee enjoying a day at the water park together.
more time to another young girl in our Prevention Program. The two were matched in November 2014 and they both enjoy learning new things together. Michelle is extremely interested in teaching her mentee about healthy eating and living. She hopes to continue building her relationship with her mentee and to watch her grow as she learns from their experiences together.

Are you interested in making an impact in the life of a young person? Read all about our current mentoring opportunities below!
Volunteer Opportunities

Child Development Time:  

 

Child Development Time serves the children of young women in AFG's Shelter Program while their mothers are participating in evening group sessions. Volunteers  would have the opportunity to engage in age appropriate activities with children between the ages of 0-3. Volunteers are currently needed for Monday and Thursday evenings.  

 

Math Tutors:  

 

Our After School Program (ASP) serves girls from elementary to high school. Tuesday through Thursday, ASP participants receive homework help and then take part in educational workshops.  Volunteers are needed to provide tutoring sessions for high school students in math (including, but not limited to, geometry and algebra). Tutoring times will vary, but weekly sessions are needed.  

 

Library Stewart:  

 

A volunteer library stewart would assist with programming in AFG's library. Programming includes reading sessions, book clubs, and maintaining room organization. Times will vary, but assistance is needed two to four times a month during the week after 4 p.m.   

 

Mentoring:  Volunteering 

 

The AFG Mentoring Program currently serves boys and girls in Detroit between the ages of 4-24 years old. Volunteer mentors build a positive one-on-one relationship with their mentees by bringing support, commitment, and positive energy to the mentoring relationship. All mentors must be at least 18 years old and be able to commit to spending at least four hours a month with their mentee. We are also seeking mentors who are bilingual in English and Spanish.  For more information on our mentoring program, contact our Mentoring Coordinator, Gabriela Santiago-Romero, at 313-361-4000 x326 or gsantiago@alternativesforgirls.org.   

   

For more information on how to become a volunteer at AFG, please contact our Volunteer Services Manager, Melody Moore, at 313-361-4000 x280 or volunteering@alternativesforgirls.org.  
Thank you for reading about us!
  
Sincerely,

Amanda (Amy) L. Good
CEO