History

Mentor Me Petaluma was founded in 1999 at McNear Elementary School in Petaluma, CA. A group of concerned parents, teachers and community members noticed that some students were "falling through the cracks". During the same time period, the state of California drastically cut its funding for elementary school counselors, leaving a lack of support and guidance for many students whose life circumstances put them at risk.

After 18 months of research and fundraising our mentoring program was launched in early 2001 with three mentorships the first year.

The program has continued to expand, meeting the needs of more and more Petaluma young people. As of August 2011 we operate Mentor Centers in 14 schools over 3 school districts, serving 250 students.

Mentor Me Petaluma works hand in hand with other local youth-serving organizations, the Petaluma Youth Network, local school districts, service organizations and businesses to provide a safety net for Petaluma youth. Community volunteer mentors are the backbone of Mentor Me Petaluma. We mentor children and youth ages 5-17.