Honoring and Calling on Mentors

In honor of National Foster Care Month, South Carolina MENTOR held an event called “Each One, Save One” on May 22 to kick off a state-wide campaign promoting community involvement in the need for foster parents. The evening offered an opportunity to recognize our foster parents—who we call Mentors—for the amazing work that they do in supporting children we serve.

The event was held at Covenant Baptist Church in Lancaster, South Carolina, and brought in 65 people—between Mentors and families in our Therapeutic Foster Care program (TFC), as well as community members and guest speakers. Each Mentor had the opportunity to invite a guest to help more people learn more about the organization and the need for foster parents. The evening also featured Pastor Dr. Bert Welch from Covenant Baptist Church as a special guest, and Pastor Anthony E. Pelham from Faith, Hope, Victory Christian Church as a guest speaker. Leadership and staff members from South Carolina MENTOR presented awards honoring the organization’s Mentors for extended years of service. In attendance were the South Carolina Director of Operations Elaine Miller, along with TFC Program Manager Kevin Pitts, and Team Lead Jan Doyle.

“Overall, the feedback from the event was great,” said James Stewart, a Mentor recruiter who also served as the event’s master of ceremonies. “Honoring our current Mentors and listening to the speeches and award presentations was inspiring for all in attendance.”

Under the motif “Each One, Save One,” the event and ongoing campaign will be an innovative concept in spreading the word about the need for Mentors across the state. South Carolina MENTOR will expand upon this initiative by collaborating with local businesses, churches, and other community associations to spread awareness about the need for foster parents throughout the state.

“We are honored to recognize the amazing women and men who provide loving, stable homes to the youth we serve,” Elaine miller said. “They are changing lives every day, and South Carolina MENTOR is proud to support them each step of the way.”