January is National Mentoring Month!!

Please consider stepping up to make a difference in the life of a youth and become a mentor. All it takes is a willingness to befriend a child and individually or together with your spouse or family meet with the child once a week for low-cost activities in your home and community.


In Burnsville, there are 14 youth currently matched with mentors, and 14 youth waiting for mentors through Kids 'n Kinship. Here is one waiting mentee’s story:

Skylar enjoys hockey & basketball, swimming, bowling, drawing, roller skating, movies, going out to eat and volunteering.  She lives with her mom, stepdad, & younger sister.  They recently moved so she misses her friends.  Skylar is friendly and social; she’s in 7^th grade.  She wants to learn archery and get rid of depression.   She’s looking for a younger female mentor to have someone she could talk to and have fun with.

In Lakeville, there are 5  youth currently matched with mentors, and 5 youth waiting for mentors through Kids 'n Kinship.  Here is one mentor’s story:

It’s like we are twins!!  We love to do so many of the same things  We went to New Prague festival, watched Miracle on Ice because it was for homework, went back to school shopping, visited Caponi’s Art Park, went to Jordan’s Largest Candy Store, walked around the lake, checked out the farmers market, and went to the water park.  It’s all so much fun to see it through her eyes!!

In Farmington, there are 4 youth currently matched with mentors, and 5 children waiting for mentors through Kids 'n Kinship. Here is one mentee's story:

He has been my mentor for 5 years.  We watch sports, grab something to eat, and I go to his house!  I am just like a part of his family. It’s easy and fun!!!

In Apple Valley, there are 10 youth currently matched with mentors, and 11 youth waiting for mentors through Kids 'n Kinship. 

Below is one waiting mentee’s story:

Thomas likes football and baseball; as well as board games and he is very good at chess.  Thomas is a wonderful young man who has had a lot of changes in his life.  He is helpful to his single parent mom and he is sensitive, funny, happy, creative and very curious.  He needs a positive male role model.  His favorite subjects in school are: social studies, spelling and gym. He would like to become a puppeteer and eventually work at Nintendo for his career!

In Eagan, there are 10 youth currently matched with mentors, and eight youth waiting for mentors through Kids 'n Kinship.   Below is one teen’s story:

Angela recent told her mom, regarding her new mentor  "Mom I can grow up and be like her; I can go to school and be like her." Angela's mom also says that since Angela has been matched, she has changed a lot and is so much happier and I have seen her confidence improve.  They have gone to plays and to museums and her mentor is wonderful and very respectful and I really value what she is doing for my daughter.

In Rosemount, there are eight youth currently matched with mentors, and five children waiting for mentors through Kids 'n Kinship. Below is one mentee's story:

I love going with my mentor.  She used to come to help me at school when I was in elementary school. Now she picks me up from middle school every Friday and we go to her house and do crafts and cook and sometimes go out for hikes.  She is really nice to me and I love to spend time with her no matter what we do.