TLDR: Kids Hope turns 10 this year. We will have ten distinct activities over the next ten months to celebrate this great ministry. This blog and another one in two weeks are the first of these ten activities. Please read on.

A bit over ten years ago, Lynn and Don Dozier paid a visit to former parishioners Ed and Barbara Williams who had recently relocated to Midland in West Texas. In one of their conversations, Ed and Barbara mentioned a ministry in which they were participating through their local Church. Kids Hope is a service that pairs disadvantaged children in local public schools with caring mentors. Lynn, a lifelong educator, was intrigued by the idea and decided to seek more information and training. At some point during that year, Lynn was invited to Eiland Elementary to judge a writing contest during their literary fair. She fell in love with the school and the children within a short time and promised the principal that she would find a way to come back.

Soon after this, Lynn and Don went to a one-week Kids Hope training in Dallas and were so impressed with the program that they decided to pay the initiation fees to the national parent company. They knew many at Saint Dunstan’s would love what the program had to offer. Armed with new information and excitement, Lynn and Don met with the clergy and created a committee to help them plan a Saint Dunstan’s Mentoring Program: Sandy Maurer, Dr. Francis Mallow Taylor, Kathy Bell, Sue Lancaster, and Julie Morant. After preliminary work and training, the team launched the first year of mentorship at Eiland with 21 mentors. That was ten years ago, and the program has continued to grow with 20 to 25 mentors every year.

Mentoring children in public schools is a powerful way to live out our faith and make a positive impact in our communities. Here are some reasons why I pray that more parishioners would consider engaging with us in this great ministry:

1. Living out our Baptismal Covenant: Mentoring aligns with the desire of our Baptismal Covenant to "seek and serve Christ in all persons" and to "strive for justice and peace among all people." By supporting children in public schools, we embody these commitments in practical ways.
2. Supporting Education: Many of us are concerned about the state of public education in our state and nation. The truth is that public schools are facing great challenges, including limited resources and support for students. Mentoring provides more than additional academic assistance. The program has more to do with relationship building, encouragement, and guidance than it has to do with teaching things. Our relationships with the children help them succeed.
3. Addressing Inequality in a small, but tangible way: Eiland is filled with potential but low on resources. We know that many of these families live under the national poverty line, which happens to be approximately 32,000 dollars per year for a family of four. These children often belong to large families who struggle with reliable and suitable housing, employment, transportation, childcare, and healthcare. As a result, some of these children suffer from “Adverse Childhood Experiences” that cause educational disadvantages (Stetson and Associates.) One of the most prevalent disadvantages is food insecurity, which seriously impacts learning and adaptive coping mechanisms (young brains can’t learn on empty stomachs.) Beyond these needs, or because of them, these children benefit greatly from caring mentors who model appropriate emotions and teach them to find words to express how they feel. Mentoring offers an opportunity to build meaningful relationships, providing kids with a sense of connection and belonging.
4. Fostering Community Engagement: By engaging with Eiland, we strengthen ties between the church and the broader community, fostering a spirit of collaboration and support. We are seen as part of the community and not an isolated and self-focused faith institution. This strengthens our outreach and makes us more attractive to newcomers.
5. Nurturing Future Leaders: We often complain about the lack of civil engagement in young people, but we must take some responsibility for this. Either we are a part of the solution, or we are a part of the problem. Mentoring can help us nurture the potential of young people, empowering them to become future leaders who contribute positively to society and are more engaged in the affairs of their towns and the country. Small gestures can go a long way in the creation of leaders.

Now, I know what you are thinking: “I am not a good teacher!” or “I am not the mentor type?” or “Sounds good, but I just don’t have the time!” Trust me, I understand these concerns. In fact, I had to share a mentee with Mother Beth Anne Nelson and then with Mother Leesa Lewis because I was too busy. But let me clarify a few things: (a) We do not want mentors to teach abstract mathematics. If you can read, listen, smile, and encourage a child, you are the right person for the job. You do not have to be a good teacher, you just need to love little ones, (b) Anyone can be a mentor. As I said above, this is more about relationship building than about following a curriculum or being a therapist. Just show up, smile, and be present with your mentee. (c) All you need in terms of time is one hour a week from September through May. That’s it.

Now, if you believe this is a worthy ministry but not something you can do now, there are two other ways to participate: First, call Don Dozier and become a Prayer Partner. These are people from our congregation that include the children, the school, and the mentors in their prayers, which is fundamental to the health of this ministry. Second, write a check to Saint Dunstan’s with a memo line Kid’s Hope. These funds will help us send kids from Eiland to Camp Allen next Summer. We sent four this year and we would love to send six to ten kids next year. Each scholarship is about $1,000 but you can contribute towards a portion of one.

Please join us as we give thanks to God for Kids Hope and join me in extending our gratitude to the team mentioned above, especially Sandy Mauer, Don Dozier, and Julie Morant. May our Lord continue to bless you,

Fr. Roman+