Ribbon cutting launches new Maine Township mentoring program

A new mentoring program that partners Maine Township's MaineStay Youth & Family Services and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago will launch at a ribbon-cutting ceremony 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 22, at Maine Township Town Hall, 1700 Ballard Road, Park Ridge.

Both organizations will have representatives on hand at the hourlong program to talk about the power that mentoring programs have to change lives. Refreshments will be served.

"We are grateful to the people in the Maine Township community for the tremendous outpouring of support for this program," said Carol A. Teschky, township supervisor. "For an endeavor like this to be successful, it requires dedicated individuals to serve as role models and the right students to participate."

The volunteer recruitment campaign netted more that 100 inquiries from people who were interested in helping and social workers from local schools have identified students who would benefit most from the program with a short waiting list remaining.

The program will match 20 mentors with 20 students in grades 4-6. Participants will meet two evenings each month in a structured group setting at Maine Township Town Hall. Mentors and youth will interact with each other one-on-one and also participate in group activities. Focusing on social and emotional development, the ultimate goal of the program is to help these students take positive steps toward academic and future success.

"Collaborative relationships with organizations such as MaineStay Youth & Family Services are critical to our mission of matching more children in need with positive, caring adults," said Art Mollenhauer, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

For information, visit www.mainetownship.com/mainestay or call (847) 297-2510. Information about Big Brothers is at www.bbbschgo.org.