HRD: United Methodist Men receive grant for mentoring youth - Nov '09
Dale Long and "little brother" LaDaruss Douglas tour the African-American Museum in Dallas. |
La’Donte moved from Illinois to Tennessee to live with his Aunt Sherry. His mother was incarcerated on drug-related charges.
La’Donte was defiant, angry and depressed.
Sherry enrolled La’Donte in the Big Brothers/Big Sister program to provide a positive male role model with whom La’Donte could express his feelings.
La’Donte was matched with Robert. For the first several months, La’Donte was quiet and expressionless. With encouragement from the program staff, Robert continued to talk about himself and his feelings hoping La’Donte would join him in those discussions.
La’Donte grades began to drop. After incidents at school with another student, La’Donte pleaded guilty to assault and was placed on probation with community service. He also was required to attend mandatory anger-management sessions and was moved to an alternative school.
A positive outcome of these experiences was that La’Donte finally began to talk with Robert about his mom, her incarceration and other difficult experiences.
La’Donte completed his probation and all other court-mandated sanctions. He expects his record to be expunged. He can articulate what he has learned through his involvement with the justice system.
Robert admits that La’Donte has become a regular part of his life.
Nationally, 7.3 million children have at least one parent in jail or prison, and these children are five times more likely than their peers to commit crimes.
The good news is that at least 70 boys whose fathers are in jail or prison will be mentored by big brothers as the result of a $7,200 grant to United Methodist Men (UMM) from the General Board of Church and Society. UMM will begin securing big brothers in 11 annual conferences in 2010.
Funds for the program come from Human Relations Day offerings. United Methodists will celebrate Human Relations Day Jan. 17, 2010.Please give generously!
--Adapted from a story by Carly Southworth on the United Methodist Men Web site
You can give to the Human Relations Day offering at any time by clicking here.
Next Story | 
Follow us: