Greetings! I’m Kerry Stok and I’m the Project Manager at Kids ‘n Kinship.I’m kicking off a series of blog posts by our staff (and hopefully our volunteers too!) that explain what we do and what the program means to us. My role at Kids ‘n Kinship is really to get the word out about the program (through social media, press releases, newsletters, the website, emails and all printed materials) as well as some of the behind the scenes program support (drivers/auto insurance checks, mailings and database management). What I love most about the program are the stories.
We talk a lot about building community through youth mentorships but I see it happening on a weekly basis. I see mentors volunteering their time to come alongside a young person. I see families connecting with someone in their community that they might not have come across without Kids ‘n Kinship. I see young people connecting with young adults, families, couples and retirees and closing the generation gap and changing the lives of their mentors just as much as their mentors are changing theirs. This program is a pretty special thing and I’m grateful to be a part of it.