
WEEI Providence
Community Matters with Scott Cordischi featuring MENTOR Rhode Island with Jeanine Achin 1-24-26
January is National Mentor month. As a youth in life, “Opportunity is not always equally distributed, but potential is”. Jeanine Achin, President and CEO of MENTOR RI (mentorri.org), joins us with some insight on how this organization undergoes their mission, striving to fill the gap “for all youth to have role models who are able to provide a road map for lifelong success and achievement”. The process begins in the school system with youths from kindergarten through high school graduation, who receive one on one contact with a well vetted adult. Anyone can be a mentor, there's no qualification or status required, you only need to “show up, no matter what“. Since 1989, MENTOR RI has been serving RI cities and towns with 53 mentoring programs, “Envisioning a Rhode Island where all youth are connected to relationships with adults who inspire and support them”. Listen as Jeanine explains how they recruit businesses and individuals as mentors, to achieve “the most meaningful thing they do in a day”. There are individuals who have taken this mentor relationship, flipping the script, from the one who is mentored to one who becomes a mentor. The impact of mentoring can be found on the website with numbers to illustrate success. Jeanine also details their events aimed at community involvement to raise awareness and funds. In September they celebrate the volunteers at their “Annual Campaign Breakfast”, honoring a new class of Legacy Mentors with an induction into their Mentor Hall of Fame. Every January 1st, they have the “Annual Frozen Clam Dip & Obsta-Plunge”, a New Year’s Day tradition. On March 27th, join MENTOR RI for their signature event, “19th Dancing With the Stars of Mentoring”, when ten local “celebrities” compete for fundraising goals. These locals, including three RI Mayors and Miss RI Teen USA, will participate as dancers or judges. Follow Mayor Donald Grebien (Pawtucket) and Mayor Maria Rivera (Central Falls) as they hit the dance floor with professional dancers from The Dancing Feeling studio. They'll be judged by Mayor Frank Picozzi (Warwick) and Miss RI Teen USA, Reyana Ahern (Warwick). It's sure to be a magical night!

