Long Term Connections

Yesterday I turned 78 and received nearly 100 "Happy Birthday" greetings on Facebook.  Many were from former students. 

One said, "Happy Birthday Dan! thanks for everything that you have done for us."

Another said, "Happiest of Birthdays to such an amazing person! Someone who shaped me into who I am today! Happy Birthday Dan!!"

A few also showed their support with contributions to my Birthday Campaign.  I appreciate them all.  It's why I keep doing this work.

Look at the history

Over the past few days I've been sharing posts I made in late December of 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. Below I've reposted my 2008 article.  Read the "Once in Cabrini Connections, always in Cabrini Connections" message.

---- start 2008 -----

Yesterday when I came to the office I received an email telling me about a funeral being held that morning for the 2-year old daughter of a former Cabrini Connections student. The message came from the volunteer who began mentoring that youth in the mid 1990s and who continues to this day --- more than 15 years later -- to still be a mentor in the life of this youth and his family.

I went to the funeral. It was tragic. The minister said "nothing I say can make sense of this tragic death" but "God has a purpose and maybe this death brings us together and changes our own life direction".

While he was addressing the family and friends of this young man and his wife, he did not realize he was also addressing the Cabrini Connections family. I had not talked to this volunteer in more than a year, or to this young man in about the same length of time. At the funeral I saw, and talked with, others who had been part of Cabrini Connections, or the Montgomery Ward/Cabrini Green Tutoring Program prior to 1992. I'd not seen many of these young people for many years, but have been making an effort to reconnect via Facebook and our Linked in pages.

Maybe this tragedy will be the catalyst that gets more of our former students and volunteers reconnected to our current students and volunteers and each other.

Mentoring is not about reading, writing, test scores, and teacher-directed tutoring. It's about relationships that form because a program like Cabrini Connections is available in the neighborhood, and creates an introduction during one year, that we hope lasts for a life time. Well organized tutor/mentor programs support the match between youth and adult, with the goal that they last for additional years so the bond between young people and volunteers, and the organization, grows and remains supportive as everyone grows older.

Once in Cabrini Connections, always in Cabrini Connections. I've been saying this for many years. I mean it.

Being at this funeral and giving support is just one small example of the type of support mentors can give to youth, and each other. Recognizing that these young adults, who were in elementary school or middle school when we first met them, still need our support for them, and for their own children, is what this community is really all about, and why we need donations from people who read this blog or visit our web sites.

January is National Mentoring Month. As you make your New Year's Resolution I hope you'll read the blogs we write, and learn more about this long-term form of mentoring, and ways that you, your church, your family and your business can support it in 2009 and beyond.

--- end 2008 ---

There have been other funerals since then, and other reunions.  January will again be National Mentoring Month.  The many birthday greetings I received yesterday, and continue to receive today, are a reminder of that commitment to "Once in Cabrini Connections, always in Cabrini Connections" message.

There area still areas of persistent poverty with us. These are places where building programs like Cabrini Connections and helping them last 20 or more years can make a life-changing difference for many youth, and adult volunteers.  Skim through this set of articles showing where poverty is concentrated in Chicago and America. 

If you're reading this, thank you.  Please share it and my other articles and help build support for the type of mentor-rich program I describe in my articles.

And, please read my articles about having universities adopt the Tutor/Mentor Connection - click here

You can still contribute to my Birthday Campaign - click here

And there's still time to make a year in contribution to help Fund the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC and help me keep doing this in 2025.  - click here to donate.

Have a safe, healthy, happy and hope-filled holiday.  There will be much to do in 2025.