Community Hope Mentors

Alexander Family YMCA

Community HOPE is an academically structured mentoring and literacy program that addresses the individual learning needs of students living in affordable housing communities in Raleigh. Students in Community HOPE meet afterschool Mondays-Thursdays 4:30-6:30PM. Participants are assigned two mentors twice a week for one hour throughout the school year. Volunteers are asked to commit to a full school year and to attend for a minimum of 1 hour a week. During this time, students and mentors work through a personalized literacy plan that addresses the student’s individual learning need at each grade level, beginning with kindergarten and continuing through high school graduation. Community HOPE serves several affordable housing communities in the area and is held in nearby local church partners. This location serves the community around the Alexander Family YMCA branch. WANT TO MENTOR A CHILD? Community HOPE relies heavily on volunteers. We need volunteers Monday through Thursday for a minimum of one hour a week between the times of 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. or 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. The program runs for the duration of the school year. Topics covered include literacy development, STEAM curriculum, arts and crafts, and general self esteem and community development. Each student is paired with two adult mentors who strongly support the student for an entire school year and often longer. Specific training for each mentor is provided, along with guidance from Community HOPE staff. Volunteers commit one hour per week for one academic school year.

The Alexander YMCA has four Community HOPE sites in Raleigh. When signing up, please be sure to click "volunteer" next to the correct location. The sites include: Navaho Drive Community Hope at Church of the Apostles - 333 Church at North Hills Street South Ridge Community Hope at Macedonia New Life Church - 2004 Rock Quarry Road / Raleigh Garden Community Hope at St. Giles Presbyterian Church - 5101 Oak Park Road

Community HOPE lesson plans for students include: A comprehensive assessment of each child’s literacy skills Individualized weekly lesson plans focusing on specific goals for grades K-5 Enrichment activities for middle school students College readiness and workforce preparation for high school students In addition, Community HOPE isn't just a tutoring program. It's a relationship - a bond between mentor and student. Through this one-on-one mentoring relationship, students receive support, affirmation and guidance from a positive role model to encourage their personal character development and academic success.

For more information on volunteering in the South Ridge location, please contact: Latoya Smith | Community Hope Site Director Latoya.Smith@YMCATriangle.org For more information on volunteering in the Raleigh Gardens location, please contact: Venita Brown | Community Hope Site Director Venita.Brown@YMCATriangle.org For more information on volunteering in the Navaho Drive location, please contact: Erica Manning | Community Hope Site Director Erica.Manning@YMCATriangle.org For more information on VolunteerMatters technical support, please contact: Alex Wheeler | Director of Volunteer Compliance Alex.Wheeler@YMCATriangle.org

All volunteers will complete safety trainings and be vetted prior to their first shift.

If you need to cancel after registration and onboarding, email and call your program contact ASAP.

Children & YouthCommunityEducation & Literacy

Community ImprovementEducationMentoring & Tutoring

Community Hope Mentors