Kids from the Detroit Public Schools will benefit from a unique partnership that was announced on Mackinac Island during the Detroit Chamber Public Policy Conference.  Three prominent businesses from southeast Michigan—Detroit Medical Center, DTE Energy, and Karmanos Cancer Institute—are adopting elementary and middle schools in the Detroit Public School District to focus on mentoring.  News Talk 760 WJR will also be supporting the project by promoting mentoring with their on-air personalities.  This model project, initiated by Mentor Michigan, is being tested in southeast Michigan and will be replicated in communities all across the state.

“It’s heartening to see how much these businesses care about the kids of Detroit,” said First Gentleman Daniel G. Mulhern, Chair of the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC), the organization that oversees Mentor Michigan.   “The foresight these companies have by taking action now will pay big dividends in the long run because we know mentoring increases the character, competence, and, therefore, the employability of children.”

The Governor and First Gentleman mentor children from the Lansing area and are among the 96 percent of mentors who would recommend mentoring to others.  They believe the experience enriches many more lives than the life of the mentee.

“Mentoring is one of the most rewarding experiences you can have,” Mulhern said.  “Our experience with mentoring has enriched our family’s life as well as the lives of our mentees.”

The businesses discussed their commitment to the kids of Detroit at an event at the Governor’s Summer Residence on Mackinac Island hosted by First Gentleman Mulhern.

Each business is committed to recruiting five percent of their employees (or 50 people) to mentor children at their designated school during their lunch hour or allowing release time for employees during school hours.  Each business is also contributing $7,000 to support Mentor Michigan AmeriCorps members to oversee the mentor/mentee matches and will pay the required $25 per mentor for background checks.

“This unique project will make a huge difference in kids’ lives,” said Janet Lawson, Executive Director of the MCSC.  “The partnership with Mentor Michigan, the Detroit Public Schools, and local mentoring programs like Mentoring Solutions and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Detroit is win-win-win.”

Mentor Michigan is looking for at least seven more businesses that are willing to step forward and form a mentoring partnership with one of the Detroit Public Schools.  For information on how your business can get involved with this program or other Mentor Michigan initiatives, contact mentormichigan@michigan.gov or (517) 335-4295.

BACKGROUND:           

Mentor Michigan is dedicated to awakening and nurturing the amazing potential in youth by fostering ongoing, stable relationships with caring adults.  Mentor Michigan works with mentoring programs throughout the state to recruit, retain, and reward mentors.  It also strengthens the capacity of programs through training, research, and forming partnerships with businesses, faith-based and nonprofit organizations, education institutions, and government.  Mentor Michigan has developed program standards that support high-quality mentoring in Michigan.

Mentor Michigan is a program of the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC).  The MCSC is a state agency that builds a culture of service by providing vision and resources to strengthen communities through volunteerism.  In 2005-06, the MCSC is granting more than $6.8 million in federal funds to local communities for volunteer programs and activities.   The MCSC’s signature programs are AmeriCorps, Learn and Serve, Governor’s Service Awards, Volunteer Investment Grants, and Mentor Michigan.