Our Mission, Our Mandate
This is what we are here to do and what we are here to ask for your hand in. We are here, with your help, to mobilize massive numbers of able African Americans to take the lead in fulfilling our society's spiritual and social responsibility with regard to our children. We must end the suffering of our underserved youngsters; we must inspire adult volunteers to work together to protect and open wide the way to hope and high achievement for the next generation of leaders. We can only do so by connecting with them through existing community-based organizations as role models-human beings who are dedicated to helping at-risk young people transform and secure their lives.
Ultimately, our mission is to obliterate these chilling facts:
- Of all Black fourth-graders in the nation, 58% are functionally illiterate.
- In some cities, 80% of our boys drop out before finishing high school.
- Every day 1,000 Black children are arrested.
- Nearly 7% of Black babies are born to girls under the age of 18.
- 1 in every 8 African-American males ages 25-29 is incarcerated.
- The number one cause of death for our boys is homicide.
We will achieve our mission by:
- Promoting mentoring as a means of combating the perils impacting the lives our of our young people
- Filling the ranks of local mentoring organizations with caring men and women
- Being the catalyst that brings together local youth organizations and dedicated volunteers who are willing and able to mentor the next generation.
- Encouraging group mentoring and driving volunteers to the challenged schools, public-housing projects and to detention facilities where CARES Mentor-Recruitment Circles are piloting innovative, holistic support programs that transform lives.
- Communicating to young people by our actions that the adults in the community love and value them, will listen to them and help make a positive difference in their lives
Our objectives are to:
- Increase the literacy rate among young African Americans in every age group and encourage a passion for learning and high achievement
- Increase high school graduation rates among black students by 10 percent annually
- Help youngsters enroll in two- and four-year colleges and vocational-training programs
- End violence in the Black community and the over-incarceration of our young people.
In this section
Did you know
Common interactions between mentors and mentees include academic support, personal development and career exploration.