Seek and Support

I began my tutor/mentor journey in September 1973 when I was matched with a 4th grade boy from the Cabrini-Green Public Housing Projects.  His name is Leo.

We're still connected. He's in Nashville. Married. Two sons. Both college graduates.  

My experiences as a volunteer leader of a tutor/mentor programs between 1975 and 2011 fuel my commitment to help similar programs throughout the Chicago region, and in other cities and states, get the attention and resources each need to support the on-going interactions of youth and volunteers.

In many articles on this blog I've pointed to social media posts by Chicago area tutor, mentor and learning programs, like Chicago Youth Programs, Inc.  

In many articles I point to lists on the www.tutormentorexchange.net website that enable people to shop and choose what program to support, based on what the program shows on their website, where they are located, and who they serve.

I also host lists showing Chicago program accounts on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.  If you follow these programs you'll see what they post and that will help you choose who to support and how you'll support them.

These lists include Tutoring Chicago, which is celebrating its 60th year this fall.  I led that program from 1975-1992, first while it was volunteer-led (up till 1990), then as it became a nonprofit (1990-1992).   

They aren't the only long-term program in Chicago.  Chicago Lights, Midtown Education, Chicago Youth Programs, Inc. and several others have long histories of service.  Look for that type of information on program websites.  Look for endorsements by alumni, parents and volunteers on websites, and social media.

My experiences in leading a single program over many years is what led me to form the Tutor/Mentor Connection in 1993 as we were launching a new program to help teens in the Cabrini Green area have continued support as the move through high school.  

The graphic below shows that we served one neighborhood with our single program, but supported programs through the entire region, through the Tutor/Mentor Connection.

I still lead that, through the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC, although I have had limited resources to do this since 2011.  

Unfortunately, the Cabrini Connections program that I and six other volunteers created in late 1992 and that I led until mid 2011, was not able to continue to survive the constant challenge of finding resources, and ceased to operate around 2022.  Yet, that program still exists via the connections I've made with former students and volunteers on Facebook, and how they are connected to each other.  

I was able to lead the program at Montgomery Ward for so many years partially because of how I reached out and networked with leaders of other similar programs.  I was also able to draw upon the work I did in retail advertising at Montgomery Ward's corporate headquarters in Chicago, where we created weekly ads do draw potential customers to more than 400 stores in 40 states.

Then, between 1990 and 1993 I also spent time as a Loaned Executive for the United Way Crusade of Mercy, which supported several hundred nonprofit organizations spread throughout the Chicago region.

From my own experiences and what I learned from other programs I realized that "all program have the same needs" but not every program is equally able to attract a constant flow of volunteers and donors.

That's why we created the Tutor/Mentor Connection in 1993.  Our aim was to build a master list of every volunteer-based tutor/mentor program in the region, then create on-going events that attracted media attention and drew more support to every program on our list.

I'm still doing that today, but with far fewer resources and in a much more difficult media environment.  It's more important than ever that more people take a role of drawing people to my library, then directly to youth serving programs in high poverty areas throughout the region.

That's why I urge each reader to become the YOU in this graphic. Bring your network to information that shows where and why people in high poverty areas need extra help, and how volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs can provide an important part of that help, while also increasing the number of people who become advocates and reach into their own networks to find additional help.

I encourage you to create your own versions of my graphics and blog articles, or record them and share them via different media.  If you're in another city, create your own version of the Tutor/Mentor Connection. If you're in Chicago reach out to talk to me about adopting the T/MC and rebuilding it, so it continues to provide help to kids and families in this region.

Thanks for reading.  Please connect with me on social media (see links here).  If you're able, help me with a contribution that funds the Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC.