Mentor a struggling child

One in four public schoolchildren in the U.S. drops out before finishing high school. Many of these students don’t have positive role models, can’t envision a bright future, and don’t feel connected to their communities.

You can change that. Join one of these national mentoring organizations operating across the United States:

Youth Mentor

The National Mentoring Partnership

Friends of the Children 

SUPPORT FOSTER YOUTH

There are approximately 400,000 children in foster care in the United States. Too many will endure problems such as poverty, compromised health, unemployment, and incarceration at higher rates than their peers following their release from the child welfare system. Learn more about what you can do to support foster youth and transition age youth from these national organizations:

National Foster Youth Institute

National CASA/GAL (Court-Appointed Advocates & Guardian Ad Litem) Association

National Foster Parent Association

FosterClub

Donate books to prisons

Visit the American Library Association website to learn how to donate books to prison libraries. 

WRITE TO someone on the inside

Among the 2 million Americans who are currently incarcerated, many do not have anyone to write to. Research proves that contact with the outside world helps those caught in the criminal justice system reintegrate more postively upon their release. Social connections allow them to further their education, develop skills, find employment, and better cope with adversity— improving the mental health of individuals and overall well-being of communities.

Visit Write A Prisoner.

ADVOCATE FOR SOMEONE ON THE INSIDE

Volunteer to be an administrative remedy writer to expose and mitigate the human rights crises in U.S. prisons.

Visit The Remedy Project.