Mentor Chippewa Receives Non-Profit Status
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2020
CHIPPEWA FALLS, WISCONSIN — Mentor Chippewa, formerly known as the Chippewa Area Mentor Program, has officially received non-profit recognition. Perhaps better known as one of the best kept secrets in Chippewa Falls, the Mentor Chippewa program has been a staple in the Chippewa community for the past 32-years. What started as a grassroots effort by a small group of people from a local community church has helped shape and grow the program into what it is today. The new non-profit status marks the starting point of where the program hopes to grow in the future.
The steps in the non-profit journey have been a work of heart for the Mentor Chippewa program staff and its Board of Directors. “It is with great pride and a full heart that I share the news that Mentor Chippewa has been recognized by the federal government as a 501 c 3 non-profit organization,” said Lisa Husom, Executive Director.
With an office currently housed within the walls of the Chippewa Falls Middle School, the community-based non-profit works closely with staff from the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District and the McDonell Area Catholic Schools systems to match youth one-on-one with an adult member of the community who meets with them during their regular school day and empowers them to be the very best version of themselves.
“Our adult mentors really do make a difference in the life of a child by simply showing up for them. It is amazing to see how doing something as simple as playing a game, sharing a meal, or talking about a common interest can light a spark in a child and give them the boost that they need to get them through the rest of their school day,” said Erin Gregory, Mentor Chippewa Program Manager.
When asked about the vision for the program’s future, Husom shared that it is her goal to replicate and grow the program in other school districts within Chippewa County. “The first step will be to continue to nurture the relationships we have here in the Chippewa Falls community, and use those connections as a stepping stone to build partnerships with other districts, local business, individuals, and organizations who can support us by providing us with students to participate in the program, people who are willing to become Mentors, and tax deductible donations to keep us sustainable as we work together to empower the next generation and in turn better the community as a whole. It’ll be a challenge, but it’s one that I am looking forward to!”
If you would like to learn more about the Mentor Chippewa program, are interested in becoming a Mentor, current sponsorship opportunities, or would simply like to become a program partner, you are encouraged to visit their new website www.mentorchippewa.org for more information.
Mentor Chippewa is a 501 c 3 non-profit organization that provides the organizational structure for, and support of, a school site based mentoring program.
###