Angel Tree Mentoring

Every year churches from across the country help meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of prisoners' children at Christmas. But when it comes to making an enduring influence in the lives of children, there is no substitute for a consistent year-round mentoring relationship.  Expanding your Angel Tree ministry into mentoring is a great way to extend your love and support to the child. Studies indicate that mentoring by a caring adult is the single most effective strategy for building character and curbing destructive behavior. And the young people who benefit most are those who are the most disadvantaged or at-risk-and that includes prisoners' children.

 

Angel Tree has partnered with local non-profit and faith-based organizations that are ready to work with your local congregation to recruit Christian mentors for the Angel Tree children. A mentor is an adult who, along with parents, provides a young person with support, encouragement, and friendship.  Most progams ask mentors to commit to regular visits with their mentees for at least one year. Mentors are good listeners, people who care, people who want to help young people bring out the strengths that are already there.  A Christian mentor can impact the life of a prisoner’s child by:

 

• • Being an example of the love of Jesus Christ.
• • Improving young people’s attitudes towards their parents, peers and teachers.
• • Encouraging students to stay motivated and focused on their education.
• • Providing a positive way for young people to spend free time.
• • Helping young people face daily challenges.
• • Offering young people opportunities to consider new career paths and get much-needed economic skills and knowledge.*

The mentor is not expected to be the child's savior, therapist, surrogate parent, or peer. The mentor is meant to be a friend, a coach, a confidant, and a role model.

 

How Much Does it Cost?

If you work with a collaborating mentoring agency, they typically absorb the costs and responsibilities. There may be a small cost for the reproduction of certain materials, screening mentors, and sponsoring special Angel Tree mentoring events. There is no obligation to pay Prison Fellowship for the program or materials.

Expenses incurred during mentor-child activities are typically covered by the mentor. Mentors are encouraged to do a variety of activities with their child.

How Do I Get Started?

Call 1-800-55-ANGEL to register your Angel Tree church to be a mentor sponsor. We will send you the Angel Tree Mentoring DVD to share with your church. We will also help you find an organization or initiative in your area that can help you with your mentoring ministry, and we will provide you with a list of Angel Tree children in your local area.

Your church may choose to start a mentoring program from scratch or work alongside an existing mentoring organization in your area. Angel Tree has established relationships with many local mentoring organizations that can help you get started.

• •  Amachi – provides training and resources for churches desiring to mentor children of prisoners and works with existing local mentoring agencies.

• •  The Christian Association for Youth Mentoring (CAYM) – also offers training and resources for churches seeking to establish mentoring programs.

• •  Big Brothers Big Sisters – many local agencies have collaborated with Angel Tree to provide Christian mentors for children of prisoners.

• • Goodwill Industries GoodGuides Program – Goodwill offers mentoring resources for teens.

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