Building Healthy and Successful Futures
BEST Kids connects with youth in foster care to build healthy and successful futures through long-term mentoring relationships.
Mentoring Works
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The bottom line is that mentoring works. BEST Kids Mentoring Program is guided by the belief that all children are talented. Through one-on-one volunteer mentoring, extensive training, staff support, and experiential learning-based Peer Groups, we encourage our youth to discover and develop their unique skills and abilities. Beginning with children as young as age six, BEST Kids works to enable youth to develop a positive sense of self, acquire teamwork and group social skills, and to become productive members of society.
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The Latest
BEST Kids
Information Sessions
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Upcoming Sessions:
July 19 Aug 16 Sept 20 Oct 18 Nov 15 |
Our Information Sessions give people like you the chance to get a better sense of what it takes to become a successful mentor as well as more information about the commitment mentors make and the process of becoming a mentor. Our staff who works with our youth and mentors on a day-to-day basis will be available to answer your questions and get you started on the process.
10th Annual Superhero 5k & Fun Run
Join BEST Kids Inc. for the 10th Annual Superhero 5K & Fun Run on October 15, 2022 at Hains Park. This event is dedicated to our community’s everyday superheroes that positively impact the lives of DC’s youth in foster care. Proceeds from this event will be used to support BEST Kids’ mentoring programs.
Mystics Mentor
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BEST Kids is a proud partner of the Mystics Mentor program! In association with MENTOR MD|DC, Mystics Mentor seeks to close the mentoring gap in the DC area. Help us meet our goal of recruiting 40 Mystics fans to become volunteer mentors by joining us Friday, May 13th at 7pm for the Mystics Mentoring Tip Off and Saturday, July 17th at 3pm for BEST Kids night!
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BEST Kids Stands in Solidarity
It is no secret that over 95% of the youth we serve are members of the Black community. We recognize the systemic racism and inequality, as well as the continued police and community violence within our country and our own city that directly and adversely impacts our youth, and in many ways is an added layer of trauma that they continue to experience every day. We refuse to be silent and ignore this issue that our nation has faced for many generations and is still facing today. Instead, BEST Kids will band together to be an active part of the solution, and side with those striving to do the same. We are continuously taking the opportunity to re-examine ourselves and our programming and are dedicated to finding ways we can do and be better. We've created a page on our site to track our efforts in this work on an ongoing basis with more transparency.
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Our Impact
Every aspect of our programming is designed to reach positive outcomes for the children and youth we serve including academic achievement, social and emotional well-being, the avoidance of risky behaviors, and the development of independent living skills.
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Academic Achievement |
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Our Stories
Brett & TBrett and T were able to build a strong bond by discovering mutual interests with one another. They used these common interests as an outlet for fun and as the foundation of a strong, long-lasting relationship that has seen T through many transitions and difficulties.
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Lyle & MichaelMichael is the very first mentee to be matched at BEST Kids. Although he has seen many ups and downs over the years, he's always had his mentor Lyle at his side. After spending his entire life in foster care, Michael has now aged-out; however, he still can depend on Lyle to navigate early adulthood and self-sufficiency.
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Whitney & DavidWhitney was a former foster youth herself who made a point to give back to her community through mentoring. She's been matched as David's mentor since 2014. Together, they've experienced tons of fun and a tremendous amount of growth.
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