Every day, Silver Lining mentors go above and beyond to connect with their mentees, sharing their experiences with our community all while going about their daily lives. We’re proud to announce our new Mentor of the Month spotlights to shine a light on the incredible volunteers who make a difference in the lives of our young people and live by Silver Lining’s values of commitment, community, innovation, equity, and gratitude.
This month, we’re excited to spotlight Drew! Drew and his mentee Cayden celebrated their three year match anniversary last month. Through all the ups and downs over the years, Drew consistently shows up to support Cayden and find exciting ways to spend time together.
Christal, Cayden’s foster parent, sees the positive impact that Drew has on his mentee: “Drew is an amazing mentor and role model. For 3 years he’s been consistent, seeing him twice a month, taking him on all different kinds of activities no matter if it’s small or big. But if I can share one thing it was the 4 of July, 2022, an experience that [Cayden] will cherish for the rest of his life: going to the Red Sox game, being on the field with the Red Sox, meeting a doctor who blessed them with two tickets to see the fireworks on the river—and everything was free. The picture Drew sent me was so beautiful!
In my eyes Drew is the greatest mentor ever! Cayden stated in his own words that Drew is one of the people consistent in his life! Drew and Silver Lining, for the work that y’all do in the community it’s greatly appreciated! Thank you for your support!”
Rachel Asam, Drew and Cayden’s Program Coordinator, shared this in her nomination: “Drew and his mentee, Cayden, had their three year match anniversary at the end of June. They meet on average every other week and typically head to an arcade or do something else active. Drew continues to show up and show Cayden how much he cares. With often unexpected changes popping up in his mentee’s life, Drew has gone above and beyond to connect with their SLM program coordinator and his mentee’s caregiver to seek support and a sense of community. Drew is thoughtful about his approach with Cayden and expresses a desire to support Cayden now but also help him as he transitions into his adolescence and eventually adulthood. In a recent call with Cayden’s foster parent she stated, Drew and Cayden clicked from day one, and were a perfect match. She said it has been easy to see their connection grow over time. Cayden also recently shared with his foster parent and Drew that Drew is one of the most consistent and supportive people in his life. Drew and Cayden have gone to two Red Sox games this season and have a big summer goal of catching a ball during batting practice. Lastly, Drew is also involved in the SLM community as a whole—recently, he offered his extra Sox tickets to other SLM mentors and mentees.”
And a spotlight wouldn’t be complete without a message from the mentor himself! Here’s what Drew has to say about his experience as a mentor: “It was about 4 years ago that I decided to volunteer as a mentor. The experience has been simultaneously humbling and rewarding—in the best way. I’ve often felt out of my depth, but I’ve steadied myself by remembering that it’s ok if everything isn’t mapped out, just do the best you can in each moment. The results invariably aren’t perfect but they usually feel meaningful and are sometimes wonderful. And, whatever I’ve done to achieve this honor, I haven’t done it alone. The initial SLM training and ongoing support has really helped, Cayden has been pretty easy to mentor, and the past ongoing support of my friends and family have given me the foundation to be able to get out of my comfort zone and try to do more for my community.”
We’re so grateful to Drew for being a wonderful mentor to Cayden and an amazing member of the Silver Lining community. Thank you, Drew!
