On May 9, 2024, the SLM community came together at the Cyclorama in Boston to celebrate youth in foster care and the power of mentoring. Together, we raised $550,000 to ensure that youth in foster care have access to a caring, committed adult relationship!
We are so grateful to our young people, mentors, sponsors, and guests for making the evening a night to remember. We want to especially thank our 2024 Match Host Committee and its co-chairs Sonia Chung and Andrew Litchfield for their hard work and leadership.
Match Gala is a night filled with impactful storytelling. Silver Lining Mentoring’s inaugural Lived Experience Fellow, Jarrett Harper (right), spoke about his harrowing journey growing up in foster care and his hope for young people to have access to healthy mentoring relationships. According to Jarrett, “Every young person in foster care deserves a trusted mentor. Everyone should be surrounded by people who help them find the good that lives inside them, to recognize their value and purpose.”
Former Silver Lining mentee Eric James (left) shared how his mentor, Yvonne, provided him the compassionate stability that every young person deserves. Eric said, “It’s the relationship-building skills and learning what unconditional care and support feel like, learning that we are all worthy of love and capable of greatness—THAT’S the stuff that forever changes young people. I know it did for me.”
Silver Lining mentee Cayden and his mentor, Drew (below)–the evening’s Power of Two honorees–reflected on their adventures over the past five years and what their mentoring relationship means to each of them.
The funds raised will allow us to fight the loneliness and isolation that can define life in foster care. Thanks to the generosity of so many, we can provide those who need it most with a Silver Lining mentor who will be there for them no matter what.
We’re already looking forward to Match Gala 2025 on May 15, once again at the Cyclorama in Boston. We hope you’ll join us!
Check here for more pictures from Match 2024, as well as updates in the coming months about how you can be a part of Match Gala 2025.
