For information about Impact NW programs or services, please refer to the list of Regional Service Centers.
For current job openings, click here.
To donate cash, clothing, household items, or furniture, click here.
To donate your vehicle, click here.
For information on volunteering, click here.
For general questions about Impact NW, e-mail us at: info@impactnw.org
Mentors: Impacting Vulnerable Youth
“Having my mentor as an example has helped me know more about the kind of person that I want to be when I get older.” Margaret, age 10.
Impact Northwest Mentoring has been linking caring, volunteer mentors with elementary and middle school-aged Portland youth since 1999.
Who We Serve
Our program serves youth ages 5-18 in Northeast and Southeast Portland.
- 70% of program participants live below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level.
- 60% of program participants are from single parent households.
- Mentees are selected for the program based upon referrals by school staff, SUN Site Managers and parents in order to help them overcome personal, academic, or behavioral barriers to their success.
Program Activities
For an hour every week, mentors and mentees engage in mutually interesting activities such as sports, games, reading, arts & crafts, and community service projects. Matches can participate in recreational outings organized by Impact Northwest Mentoring, including trips to OMSI, the Oregon Zoo, Zenger Farms, and Mt. Scott Community Center, or serving learning trips to sites such as Free Geek, Oregon Humane Society, and the Oregon Food Bank.
Outcomes
- 91% of mentored students reported that having a mentor improved their ability to get along with adults and peers.
- 97% of mentored students reported that having a mentor improved their interest in school.
- 81% of parents of mentored students reported improved behavior or school performance.
Volunteer to Be a Mentor
To learn more about volunteering with Impact Northwest Mentoring, click here.
To apply online to be a mentor, click here.
Mentoring Staff
Meghan Ferns, Mentoring Coordinator
Meghan coordinates mentor matches at Buckman, Kelly, Whitman, Woodmere, and Harrison Park. She can be contacted at (971) 222- 4982 or MFerns@ImpactNW.org.
Kheoshi Taylor-Mayes, Mentoring Coordinator
Kheoshi coordinates mentor matches at Bridger, Jason Lee, and Harvey Scott. She can be contacted at (971) 506-5036 or KTaylor-Mayes@ImpactNW.org.