If you look up “to give” in the dictionary, you will find over twenty definitions for this simple phrase. They range from the expected, “make a present of” to, “provide by way of entertainment”. The phrase has so many meanings, yet oftentimes, I find myself limiting it to just one. It wasn’t until I came across this quote that I began to reconceptualize the way I think about “to give:”
“Giving isn’t just money and possessions; we can also give our attention, our listening ear, our commitment, our presence.”
This quote serves as a reminder that everyone has the power to give. With it in mind, I’d like to suggest four ways you can give back and make an impact during this season of giving:
Give your time. Here at Silver Lining Mentoring, we are so fortunate to have committed mentors who give at least eight hours of their time each month to their mentees. Over the past year, that has amounted to over 6,800 hours of quality time forming long-lasting relationships. If that commitment is more than you can give, think about ways in which you can give smaller amounts of your time, such as by volunteering at a Learn & Earn graduation or helping us prepare for the Match Gala. Your time is valuable and can have an incredible impact. If you are interested in learning more about what it means to volunteer with SLM, sign up for an info session here.
Give your voice. Share our mission with your friends, families, and networks. Talk about why you are involved and why you support the work we do here at Silver Lining Mentoring. Spread the word about what we are doing at SLM by sharing, liking and retweeting our social media posts. Write about why you are involved in a Voices of SLM blog post and share it to inspire others to join you in supporting youth in foster care. Interested in writing a blog post? Email me!
Give your talent. Is data crunching something that brings you joy? Do you have a passion for videography? Share your talents with Silver Lining Mentoring to help support the work we do. Whether it is a day long consulting workshop at Boston Consulting Group or a graphic designer who redesigns our marketing materials, the support you provide has an incredible impact on our work. If you have time or talent ands are interested in supporting SLM, please let me know.
Give your treasure. Your financial contributions to Silver Lining Mentoring have had an incredible impact. You have allowed us to increase the number of young people we serve by 80% in just two years. You have helped us develop and implement a new program for young people aging out of foster care to ensure they have access to critical and urgent resources. You have ensured that we are able to provide young people in foster care with a committed, consistent mentoring relationship that last well beyond the national average. Your support is impactful and will help us grow to serve more young people. As we approach the end of the year, consider making Silver Lining Mentoring your charity of choice and give the gift of mentorship.
However you choose to give this giving season, know that it is appreciated and that every gift of time, voice, talent, or treasure is important to us and makes an impact. On behalf of our staff, young people and volunteer mentors, thank you for all you do for Silver Lining Mentoring!
