The Incredible Service of Trusted Mentors!

I am thrilled to get the opportunity to describe the incredible service that Trusted Mentors provides to our community.  As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) since 2009 and a Licensed Clinical Addiction Counselor (LCAC) since 2011, I have been consistently referring for all of their 15 years and have never been disappointed.  Jeri Warner used to be a one woman show.  She has successfully developed her program and staff to sustain that individualized person-centered approach.   Her staff is engaging and receptive throughout the process of mentorship.  They find strong mentors and do an exceptional job of linking mentors and mentees.  They are strengths-based and future-focused, taking on people in all stages of life, regardless of diversity factors.

Menteeship allows adults to build healthy relationships with safe peers.  This sounds simple, but is too often rare.  Individuals who have struggled with a serious mental health issue, an addiction history, legal issues, homelessness, trauma/abuse issues, limited educational opportunities, dysfunctional family or friends; or any combination have additional barriers to stable and mutual relationships.  In addition to having fun and trying new things, mentees will likely build skills in the areas of boundary setting, improved communication skills, and an overall increased empowerment through the consistent support and encouragement of being a mentee.

Mentorship allows a personal portal to a life likely different than yours, exposing you to life experience and diversity quite different than your own.  An opportunity for a greater understanding and empathy, while giving back and building up our community from the inside.  This relationship builds skills in active listening, engagement, managing differences in opinion, boundaries, and the necessity of self-care.

It is rare that a service can provide such differing benefits to both sides, but Trusted Mentors does.  My only wish for them is increased support and growth, as this resource is priceless to our community.  

Sincerely,

Stephanie DeMaris

LCSW & LCAC

Empowerment Luncheon 2020 Speaker Announced!

 

Wednesday, March 4, 2020

Registration - 11am | Lunch - 11:30am

NCAA National Office
700 W. Washington, Indianapolis, IN 46204

Trusted Mentors annual Empowerment Luncheon highlights an Indianapolis leader whose self-determination leaves an impact on our community.

Our 2020 speaker will be Carolyn Mosby, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mid-States Minority Supplier Development Council.  She will engage, inform and amuse the audience!

Carolyn E. Mosby is an author, executive and public speaker with more than 28 years' experience in the entertainment industry, corporate America, government and non-profit arenas. As a consultant Mosby represented numerous public figures, politicians, athletes, actors and entertainers, corporations and not-for-profit organizations, advising them on public relations, crisis communications, marketing, governmental and community affairs. In her role as publicist for one of the nation's largest African American cultural events, she's coordinated publicity for numerous celebrity guests.

Learn how mentors enable success at all levels and then see who receives the Trusted Mentors LIFT AWARD, which recognizes those who LIFT themselves to new heights! Be there to recognize 2 Trusted Mentors mentees and one community recipient.

Early Bird Tickets are $50 before January 31.

Purchase tickets online

Corporate tables are available.

Contact Trusted Mentors at 317-985-5041.

Mentoring Young Adults

Your donation can help us make an impact in 2020!

We had a powerful Recognition Night!

We hold large group gatherings for food, information and sharing. Here are a few of the achievements that we recognized:

Ashlee for “for working hard to provide for her family” Brent “for doing more to facilitate your successful "Re-Entry" after incarceration than anyone I personally know.” Jamie “for preparing to go home (from work release) and having a plan of action to remain housed and employed.” Arlonzo “for spiritual and emotional growth; Job search with great success; Educational planning and strategizing; The re-start at community school with the intent to finish college degree.” Jon “for reaching many of his one year goals (in six months!). Has maintained a full time job and done many things to help his aged uncle. Even when job did not work out like he expected, he worked on other jobs. He has maintained a great attitude.’’ Steven “for achieving full time employment over the few months of mentorship, and he's maintained an optimistic and positive outlook throughout!” Darion “for being taken off of house arrest and starting electrician school soon.”

Mickey: "Mickey has been employed for more than a year with Mission 27. He has moved into a new apartment and purchased a new car. Mickey has achieved his goals in everything that he has been giving. Mickey can achieve anything that he wants."

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Why I Mentor

Kristina Moorhead is Vice President of the Trusted Mentors Board and also a mentor. She shared this message at the Trusted Mentors Gala.

Some of us are fortunate to have the resources like a stable family and good education from birth, and others struggle to along life’s path trying to understand and attain what so many of us take for granted. The good news for those who may have struggled along the way is that it’s never too late to choose a different path and make a different choice.

I chose to become a volunteer mentor with Trusted Mentors because I believe that the one-to-one relationship with an adult leaving prison, transitioning from homelessness or aging out of the foster care system is a small, but powerful, way to change the world.
 

I was paired with my mentee, Marquisha, who recently left the Craine House work release program after being incarcerated. While incarcerated, she made the decision that she was done with how she had been living her life and was ready to make a change. She started by completing her GED in prison and continued to take CNA classes while she was living at Craine House and working full time. She now works in a nursing home and is continuing her studies to become a registered nurse.

She has done all of this while working to re-establish relationships with her children and using herself as a role model to guide them to make better choices.

In our mentor-mentee relationship, we have worked together to think through a one year, five year and 10-year plan to reach her goals, we’ve talked about needing a solid tribe of girl friends who are on the same life path as you to both lift you up and hold you accountable, and we’ve talked about how to manage grief when someone you love passes away.

While I’m the mentor in this relationship, Marquisha constantly inspires me with her motivation and grit to change her life, change her children’s lives and be a positive force of energy in her community.

This year Trusted Mentors is Celebrating our 15 year anniversary!

Recently, we asked Elizabeth, one of our early mentees, share her experience with her trusted mentor, and how having a mentor made a difference. Here is her story:

Hello, my name is Elizabeth. I came to Trusted Mentors at a time in my life when I was struggling with so many things. Trusted Mentors surrounded me with people who cared about my well-being. They helped me with housing, among other things. I was connected to three mentors during my time with Trusted Mentors, they were all nice women. But there was one in particular who showed me how to be me. The mentor who helped me to truly believe in myself again was Jennifer, she really inspired me, and was always there to talk. To this day, we are still in contact. Trusted Mentors allowed me to experience different things, which I might not have been interested in otherwise. More than they may know, Trusted Mentors was a lifesaver for me. It took some time, but I got it together. Today I am married and happy. Trusted Mentors played a big role in getting me to where my life is today.

A message from our Board President, Joe Nierman, about reaching 15 years of mentoring

As board president of Trusted Mentors, I am so proud of the work we have done in the last 15 years. We have made a significant impact in the communities we serve, and none of it would be possible without our dedicated staff, mentors, board members, and volunteers. I also want to recognize all the local businesses, foundations, and individuals that have supported us financially. This has been a collective effort. Over the past 15 years, Trusted Mentors has seen a positive change in Indianapolis and communities all over the state. The greatest beneficiaries are the mentees who have made the decision to change their lives and have allowed Trusted Mentors to participate in their personal transformation.  Thank you all for the hard work, sacrifice, generosity, and tenacity it takes to truly make change a reality.  Joe Nierman