DUMFRIES, Va. — A new community service program in Dumfries aims to pair volunteer mentors with the youths that need them most.
Janae Williams, 23, of Dumfries, and Brittany Jordan, 20, of Stafford, are working as part of the new Dumfries Cares program at the town’s community center on Main Street.
The program will pair children ages 7 through 18-years-old with a pool of 30 mentors who will provide them help on everything from homework to becoming a better community citizen.
Both have developed a two-part application process — one meant for parents to fill out to identify their child’s needs, and the other for the child to complete to gauge their interest — which will help to identify 10 students in elementary, middle, and high school who will benefit from the program.
Once the program is in full swing this spring, Dumfries Cares aims to have three mentors for each group of 10 children.
The mentors will all receive training and, so far, the interest is great.
“We’ve had people come to us and ask if they can mentor students in the program, and we say ‘this is awesome,” said Williams.
The program is open to residents of the town, and mentoring is available between 3:45 and 6:45 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursdays at the community center.
The program is also calling for community mentors and is asking businessmen and women, students, church members, and those in the military to help mentor children in the program. Those interested in mentoring should call 703-221-3400 ext. 146.
