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Granite Falls non-profit makes a positive change in the lives of kids — one conversation at a time

Published 6:30 am Thursday, October 27, 2022

HOPE Mentoring was brought to Granite Falls and Lakewood in partnership with Change the Narrative and LINC NW. This unique program pairs kids with a mentor. Photo courtesy Change the Narrative

HOPE Mentoring was brought to Granite Falls and Lakewood in partnership with Change the Narrative and LINC NW. This unique program pairs kids with a mentor. Photo courtesy Change the Narrative

Every kid needs someone to talk to, someone who listens — and sometimes talking to those closest to us, like mom or dad, can be difficult. And some kids don’t have close family members in the picture at all. What then?

Who do kids turn to when they need to be heard? It’s a tough question but HOPE Mentoring has an answer. HOPE Mentoring was brought to Granite Falls and Lakewood in partnership with Change the Narrative, founded by Michael Adams, and LINC NW. This unique program pairs kids who need a mentor with someone who gets where they’re coming from.

As Michael Adams says, “There is so much work to be done, and so many good people who can be part of making an impact.”

Real connection in real time

Stats tell us that one in four kids feel like there’s no adult who’s listening, which is a tough place to be, especially in the world today where there’s so much artificial connection online. Having someone in your corner, face to face, can make the difference between success and failure — in school, relationships, personal lives and into the future.

In Granite Falls, HOPE Mentoring is operated in partnership with LINC NW, its parent agency. “With HOPE Mentoring you’re not required to be an expert. We match students based on common interests, goals, challenges and a variety of other relationship markers,” says Erin Maas, Student and Family Advocate with LINC NW. “Mentors receive a background check and are trained in mentoring best practices and boundaries before they are matched with a student.

“We love having mentors that come from all backgrounds — we match mentors with kids that have similar stories so that they can connect over a game of basketball, doing crafts or whatever they both enjoy or have in common.”

Sound advice, stronger foundation, better future

For Crystal Bogue, HOPE Mentoring Coordinator, the expansion of the HOPE Mentoring program into Granite Falls, in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of Snohomish County (BGCSC), has been an exciting step. The new program is just getting going but, as Crystal notes, “There are so many kids who might have had a rough start in life — these programs are providing hope to kids and are about building stronger, better communities for the future, one conversation at a time.”

To find out more about the HOPE Mentoring program, find them on Facebook through LINC NW or check out the website here. To learn more about volunteering, check out this link, and if you’re looking for a mentor, click here.