MentorKids Stories & Updates
Press releases, MentorMoments, announcements, reflections, and real-life updates from across our Promise Neighborhoods.
WESPAC Charities Awards Grant to MentorKids USA
WESPAC Charities has awarded a grant to MentorKids USA in support of year-round youth development programming across our six Promise Neighborhoods, helping students grow academically, personally, and as developing leaders.
Phoenix, AZ – MentorKids USA is honored to announce that it has received a generous grant from WESPAC Charities in support of the organization’s year-round youth development programming.
MentorKids USA serves more than 600 K–12 youth each year through six Promise Neighborhoods across the Valley. Through LEAD, its K–8 after-school program; the Summer Enrichment Program; and iLEAD, its high school leadership and workforce development program, MentorKids provides youth with academic support, mentorship, leadership development, enrichment, workforce preparation, and opportunities for personal growth. All programming is provided at no cost to families.
“We are incredibly grateful to WESPAC Charities for investing in MentorKids USA and the young people we serve,” said Aaron Parrott, Executive Director of MentorKids USA. “Their commitment to strengthening Arizona communities closely aligns with our belief that lasting change begins by investing in young people and equipping them to become leaders in their lives, families, and communities.”
MentorKids USA’s Promise Neighborhood model establishes a long-term presence within the communities it serves, with programming currently offered in South Phoenix, Palomino in North Phoenix, Paiute in South Scottsdale, Maryvale, Tempe, and Sunnyslope.
WESPAC’s commitment to giving back is rooted in strengthening the communities that shape Arizona’s future. MentorKids USA is grateful to partner with WESPAC Charities in creating lasting opportunities for young people and stronger communities across the Valley. To learn more about WESPAC Charities, visit www.wespacaz.com/charity.
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About MentorKids USA
MentorKids USA is a faith-based nonprofit equipping K–12 students to become transformative leaders in their families and communities. Through six Promise Neighborhoods across the Phoenix area, MentorKids provides no-cost programs focused on academic excellence, spiritual growth, and leadership development. From elementary school through high school, students are surrounded by consistent relationships and opportunities to learn, lead, and invest in others—Building Leaders Who Build Leaders.
Media Contact
Jill Bailey
Development Director, MentorKids USA
480-767-6707 | [email protected]
Dollar General Literacy Foundation Awards Summer Reading Grant to MentorKids USA
MentorKids USA received a generous summer reading grant from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation in support of its no-cost Summer Enrichment Program. The funding will help provide literacy materials, educational resources, and reading-focused activities for more than 300 students across six Promise Neighborhoods, strengthening reading skills and supporting academic engagement during the summer months.
Phoenix, AZ – MentorKids USA is honored to announce it has received a generous grant from Dollar General Literacy Foundation in support of Summer Reading and our no-cost Summer Enrichment Program.
MentorKids USA’s Summer Enrichment Program (SEP) provides K–8 students in underserved communities with consistent literacy support, academic enrichment, and hands-on learning opportunities during critical out-of-school time. A core focus of the program is strengthening reading skills through daily reading activities, small-group literacy instruction, and engaging educational experiences. Through a safe, supportive environment, students build confidence, improve academic engagement, and develop the foundational skills needed for long-term success. Funding from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation supports these literacy efforts and helps ensure this programming is provided at no cost to families.
Currently serving students across six Promise Neighborhoods throughout the Valley, MentorKids USA’s Summer Enrichment Program will support more than 300 youth this summer through literacy enrichment, leadership development, STEAM activities, healthy living education, and relationship centered mentorship.
Support from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation will help provide literacy materials, educational resources and reading-focused activities that encourage students to strengthen their reading skills, remain academically engaged during the summer months, and build a lifelong love of learning.
About MentorKids USA
MentorKids USA is a faith-based nonprofit equipping K–12 students to become transformative leaders in their families and communities. Through six Promise Neighborhoods across the Phoenix area, MentorKids provides no-cost programs focused on academic excellence, spiritual growth, and leadership development. From elementary school through high school, students are surrounded by consistent relationships and opportunities to learn, lead, and invest in others—Building Leaders Who Build Leaders.
Media Contact
Jill Bailey
Development Director, MentorKids USA
480-767-6707 | [email protected]
OneAZ Community Foundation Awards Grant to MentorKids USA
MentorKids USA is growing its iLEAD My Generation program thanks to a new grant from OneAZ Community Foundation — empowering high schoolers to lead, earn, and serve their communities.
Phoenix, AZ – MentorKids USA is honored to announce it has received a generous grant from OneAZ Community Foundation in support of its iLEAD My Generation Program – an innovative four-year high school leadership and mentoring initiative.
The iLEAD My Generation program (Leadership, Exploration, Academics, and Discovery) equips high school students in underserved communities with critical job training, academic support, and leadership development. A defining feature of the program is its paid mentorship model, where participants serve as assistant teachers and role models for younger children in MentorKids’ afterschool and summer programs. Through this hands-on experience, students build real-world skills, confidence, and a strong sense of purpose.
“We are incredibly grateful to the OneAZ Community Foundation for this generous investment in the lives of the youth we serve,” said Aaron Parrott, Executive Director of MentorKids USA. “This funding allows us to deepen our impact and expand opportunities for students to grow into confident, capable leaders within their families and communities.”
Currently serving students in South Phoenix, North Phoenix (Palomino), South Scottsdale (Paiute), and the Maryvale Promise Neighborhoods, iLEAD is transforming the trajectory of teens at high risk of becoming disconnected—those who are neither in school nor working. The program consistently demonstrates strong outcomes in school attendance, academic achievement, leadership development, and high school graduation.
Support from the OneAZ Community Foundation will help sustain and expand iLEAD My Generation, ensuring more students are empowered to graduate high school and take meaningful next steps toward college, careers, and lifelong success.
For more information about MentorKids USA and its programs, visit www.mentorkidsusa.org.
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About MentorKids USA
MentorKids USA is a faith-based nonprofit equipping K–12 students to become transformative leaders in their families and communities. Through six Promise Neighborhoods across the Phoenix area, MentorKids provides no-cost programs focused on academic excellence, spiritual growth, and leadership development. From elementary school through high school, students are surrounded by consistent relationships and opportunities to learn, lead, and invest in others—Building Leaders Who Build Leaders.
Media Contact
Jill Bailey
Development Director, MentorKids USA
480-767-6707 | [email protected]
MentorKids USA Named a Hidden Gem by Voyage Phoenix Magazine
Voyage Phoenix Magazine recently featured Executive Director Aaron Parrott in their Hidden Gems series—spotlighting the mission, the model, and the people behind MentorKids USA. It's a story about showing up, staying the course, and what happens when you invest deeply in young people over time.
VoyagePhoenix recently featured Executive Director Aaron Parrott in their Hidden Gems series—spotlighting the mission, the model, and the people behind MentorKids USA. It's a story about showing up, staying the course, and what happens when you invest deeply in young people over time.
About MentorKids USA
MentorKids USA is a faith-based nonprofit equipping K–12 students to become transformative leaders in their families and communities. Through six Promise Neighborhoods across the Phoenix area, MentorKids provides no-cost programs focused on academic excellence, spiritual growth, and leadership development. From elementary school through high school, students are surrounded by consistent relationships and opportunities to learn, lead, and invest in others—Building Leaders Who Build Leaders.