We are proud to reveal our new logo! Those of you who read this blog are the first to lay eyes on The Mentoring Project’s (formerly The Belmont Foundation) new logo. But we don’t believe it will be the last time you see it. We have an ambitious vision. We are recruiting ten-thousand mentors through one-thousand church-based programs. And that is just phase one. We hope to eventually recruit one-million mentors to answer to the American crisis of fatherlessness.
If you happen to be in Portland this week, swing by our “Mentoring for President” convention. Here is the official invitation:
On October 16th at the Adrianna Ballroom in downtown Portland, we are nominating Mentoring for President. And in order to do so, we are having a makeshift political convention complete with streamers, bumper stickers, buttons and flags.
We are nominating Mentoring for President because Mentoring has been proven to reduce crime, teen pregnancy, teen drop out rates, abortion and divorce. Those are promises no politician can make and certainly no politician can keep.
And if this party sounds boring, don’t worry. I will be reading material from a new book, so there will be more than a few laughs. It will be a great night, so invite your friends.
Make plans today to join us on October 16th at 7:00 pm at the Adrianna Grand Hill Ballroom. The ballroom is located at 918 SW Yamhill Street, Portland, on the second floor. Please RSVP to Hannah by Monday, October 6th. Email hannah@belmontfoundation.org or call the office at (503) 477-8920 to confirm.
Of course this is all in fun, but we firmly believe mentoring is a very real hope for many of the problems our country is facing. We believe mentoring can lower crime, teen pregnancy, school drop-out rates, divorce as well as the quality of life for millions of children growing up without a male role-model!
If you can’t make the “convention” you can join our mission by supporting a mentor. It takes $5 per month to support a mentor, and of course you can support as many as you like. Join us today!
Children who have role models are:
- 46 % less likely to use drugs or alcohol
- 53% less likely to skip school
- 33% less likely to resort to violence
- 59% more likely to get better grades
There is very real hope. Join our campaign today!
(Our new logo was created by Ivey and McCoig, a firm out of Nashville who has done all the world pro-bono. They are incredible, and we are grateful for their friendship!)
Suzanne Eller said,
October 13, 2008 @ 2:55 pm
Love, love, love this Don. Mentoring is something that is very close to my passion and heart.
Fellow author, speaker, follower of Christ
donmilleris said,
October 13, 2008 @ 2:57 pm
Thanks Suzanne! We are so stoked about this vision. We already have seven churches signed up. Only 993 to go! Thanks for your support!
Jason said,
October 13, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
YES!! This is a “candidate” that I would support, recommend, follow, endorse, etc. to everyone I know. Unfortunately I live on the East coast so I won’t be able to make the “convention”.
I am a youth pastor and currently have 14 adults volunteering at least once a week and some of them 2-3 times a week to give their time to some teens who desperately need an adult in their life to steer them towards Jesus in the decisions they make on a daily basis. I am totally for any program that would promote Christian mentoring. I will be checking in on this program to see where I can help out financially as well as possibly get some help that we need here in upstate NY from such a program. Thank you so much for the statistics provided. I will use them as a reminder of the importance for the volunteers as to why they are so vital to this ministry.
Seth said,
October 13, 2008 @ 2:59 pm
does anyone know if there will be churches in cincinnati that will be taking part?
Angela Seagler said,
October 13, 2008 @ 2:59 pm
Donald,
Thanks for promoting your worthy cause and giving us some real hope to champion. My heart is heavy for our country, but even heavier for my community, for all of the people falling through the cracks. Thanks for being proactive to stop the wreckage within our communities and for calling your brothers and sisters (across denominational lines) to help make the difference we have been commissioned and empowered to do. I will see what our little church plant can do to help support this project. Blessings and have fun doing what you were born to do!
Scott Engbrecht said,
October 13, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
Don-
Best think I’ve read in a long time! (I think I’ve been reading too much stuff online) Before pastoring, I worked in social services (Boys & Girls Club, etc) and know first hand the importance of mentoring.
I’m now voting for mentoring too!!
jolie said,
October 13, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
This is great. I appreciate your heart in this. I have never thought about America in that way, if all the fatherless had someone leading and shepherding them, what would we look like? I want to support one!
Carson said,
October 13, 2008 @ 3:06 pm
That is so amazing! I know that mentoring has played a huge part in my life, keeping me out of a ton of trouble throughout high school and college, and pushing me to make wise choices. Great job, I can’t wait to see the future of a Jesus-mentored nation!
God speed!
Carson
donmilleris said,
October 13, 2008 @ 3:10 pm
Thanks everybody. There is so much energy around the office around this vision. Carson, I love your vision. The amazing thing is that the infrastructure of the church is already there, the mentors are there. We could tackle this within twenty years. We could see drastic reductions in a dozen dismal categories. And Scott, thanks for mentoring. I nominate you for president! (It will be a write in, but I think you’ve got a shot)…
Seth, we don’t have a program in Cinci, but we will. Right now our programs are mostly in the Portland area, but next year we will have a national program director who will spread our programs across the country. I know from being in Cinci a few days ago there is a strong need. We may branch out to the southeast first, then move into the midwest. But it will happen.
Thanks everybody.
Don
dewde said,
October 13, 2008 @ 3:16 pm
Very exciting man. I dig the new logo and less ambiguous name.
peace|dewde
http://dewde.com
Mary DeMuth said,
October 13, 2008 @ 3:34 pm
Wonderfully put, Don. I’m where I am as a writer because of organic mentoring.
Charity said,
October 13, 2008 @ 3:38 pm
Hey Seth,
There are churches in Cincinnati that have tutoring programs that can lead into a mentoring relationship. I tutor inter-city kids at Crossroads Church in Oakley and we are in desperate need of male tutors as most (if not all) the boys are currently living without fathers in their homes. We bus the kids to the church, feed them dinner, tutor math and english for an hour, and then have a half hour program called inspire where we expose the kids to the arts. It’s all on Monday evenings throughout the school year and tonight is our first night back!!
Side story to tell you the effect…
A couple of years ago when we started the program a little girl from Over the Rhine was riding the bus with her tutor to the church for the program. She looked out the window, pointed, and asked her tutor, “What is THAT!! The tutor said what that orange circle in the sky?” She said, “yes, what is THAT?” The tutor told her it was the sun set. Then the little girl said, “I’ve never seen that before, IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!!
It’s the little things that we take for granted everyday that kids in our own city don’t get to experience. God created that sun set to dazzle that little girl and let her know how much He loves her and it’s our job to make sure she sees it and knows just how much He loves her.
Don,
We would definitely love to expand our program with yours when you move out of Portland. I think we’ve even been planning for it all along (without even realizing it) as we just started a community group on being a father after God’s own heart. I would love to learn more on what the project looks like.
Good luck this week with the convention!
Zak said,
October 13, 2008 @ 3:38 pm
Hey Don!
I love your idea to have a convention in support of Mentoring for President! We’re planning on being there. Unfortunately we won’t be able to get there right at 7:00 - we have another engagement earlier in the evening. How long will the convention last? Should we try to come, even if we’re an hour or so late?
Koes Bong said,
October 13, 2008 @ 3:46 pm
See you on Thursday, Don!!!
JamesW said,
October 13, 2008 @ 4:08 pm
I love this logo. Don, I have tried to start a mentoring program at my church, and we had one good event a year ago today, Oct. 13. (Ironically, it’s my late father’s birthday. I barely knew him, and he’s gone now, but I digress). We have had some trouble getting the project to have some legs, but I am convinced that God isn’t giving up, so I am not.
I’ve used the elephant story from your book several times, and this logo is going to invite several more opportunities to tell that same story.
brody said,
October 13, 2008 @ 5:02 pm
I wish I had a baby elephant to mentor.
Sara said,
October 13, 2008 @ 5:08 pm
All for this one Don…. Kids need a father figure in their life, no question about it. I hope God uses this to place all the fatherless with a mentor, and yet keeps their eyes on their Heavenly Father. Speaking from experience a mentor is one of the best things that can happen to a fatherless person…though I won’t be able to make the convention, I support this whole-heartedly and will be praying for it.
Peace.
Duh-sciple said,
October 13, 2008 @ 5:48 pm
Okay, I’m not familiar with the Elephant Story. Which books has it?
I was worried that we’re asking for Big Republican Elephants to mentor little republican elephants. Ha! Just kidding!
In our congregation we have mentors for the confirmation student-disciples. I’d love to learn more about this!
Stay in One Peace, Duh-sciple Tim
William said,
October 13, 2008 @ 6:07 pm
Check out To Own A Dragon… There’s a chapter on elephants, but the most beautiful picture seen here is also the picture drawn by Don on page 27 of the same book…
“People assume when you’re swimming in a river you are supposed to know which way you are going, and I guess some of the time that is true, but there are certain currents that are very strong, and it’s when we are in those currents we need somebody to come along, pull us out, and guide us in a safer direction.”
Gabe Taviano said,
October 13, 2008 @ 7:42 pm
Good post Don. Just wishing you wouldn’t have endorsed the candidate you did months ago, lol. Keep up the good work!
Chase said,
October 13, 2008 @ 8:19 pm
Don,
I’m stoked to watch this vision grow! Thanks for casting it, and setting it into action.
aaron said,
October 14, 2008 @ 4:03 am
Don, how do I get my church involved? We are out of Eugene,Oregon and I want to pitch this idea to our pastor.
Brent said,
October 14, 2008 @ 9:02 am
Found the site through a link to the new logo .jpg, stayed + donated after reading what it was all about… great cause + great design = best of both worlds.. kudos!
Sara Rose said,
October 14, 2008 @ 10:42 am
This is incredibly exciting, and new logo is fantastic! Wish I could make it to the convention.
Also, will you marry me?
Emily said,
October 14, 2008 @ 11:56 am
Seth, Ditto what Charity said about tutoring in Cincinnati. I also go to Crossroads and I’m on the communications team for OneCity which streamlines volunteer efforts and does research and development for several faith based mentoring projects in Cincinnati…including mentoring adults who are just released from prison and trying to start a new life, and mentors for people struggling with finding and holding jobs. Faith based mentoring programs are an intensely important way to expand God’s Kingdom on earth.
Don, kudos for launching this project and having such a huge vision for mentoring.
Wally said,
October 14, 2008 @ 1:13 pm
Love this Don!!! Growing up without a father and now as a family pastor I have invited our men to be fathers to the fatherless. Our church works with a local agency, called Child Haven, that houses kids who are abused or neglected. We spend every other Saturday with the kids, taking them fishing, swimming horseback riding and having HUGE cookouts just to tell them they have a Father God and WE all love them. We have many dreams to grow this within our community, so thank you for your story and the resources you are pouring into mentors. We would love to partner with you!
JamesW said,
October 14, 2008 @ 1:40 pm
Don:
Honest, not contentious, question: How does one reconcile the position that you take on fathers (that every kid needs one in the house) with the fact that you do not oppose the legalization of gay marriage (which would, of course, have many kids growing up with two mommies)?
Although gay marriage is very low on my priority list of issues I care about, I still see a conflict between your two stated positions, so I was hoping you’d tell us how you resolve those two positions.
thanks
James
Marla said,
October 14, 2008 @ 8:12 pm
James,
I realize the point you are trying to make regarding his “alleged” position on gay marriage. I say alleged because when I heard him speak in Cincinnati, I did not feel he was for or against it, merely that the two candidates agreed on that subject. However, I was wondering what you thought about the fact that a child may end up with two daddies? There are gay men who would like to have children.
JamesW said,
October 14, 2008 @ 9:27 pm
I wasn’t trying to make a point. I was asking, because I am truly curious, how Don reconciles in his mind what, to me, are two conflicting perspectives.
To answer your question, I think all kids should have a father and a mother. I only had the latter.
donmilleris said,
October 14, 2008 @ 9:40 pm
James, I never stated a position on gay marriage. I stated the candidates had roughly the same position. But this is all distraction. We are recruiting ten-thousand mentors, regardless of whether or not gays can get married. Will you help us?
Don
Kristina Rhodes said,
October 14, 2008 @ 9:41 pm
Hey Don!
Love the new logo! Looks great! By the way, from one writer to another, the comma that you placed before the “and” is superfluous because you aren’t listing more than three items. All you need is the “and.”
Hope you are doing well brother!
Your sistah in Jesus,
Kristina
Anna said,
October 14, 2008 @ 9:45 pm
This is really wonderful. To Own a Dragon was the first book I have read of yours, and I was amazed about how honestly and beautifully you wrote about your growing up without a father. I sugguested it to one of my counseling professors at the “dreaded” Liberty University, who focused a lot of his personal misistry towards men who grew up without fathers. I hope he read it. I may have to mention it to him again.
Anyway, so glad you wrote the book, ans so glad The Mentoring Project is growing and changing lives.
Doug said,
October 14, 2008 @ 11:48 pm
This is a worth cause! Mentors to step up and be active in kids lives is very important. I see this everyday. . . earlier this evening I met a 12 year old boy who had six bullets fired into his house, he is bright and energetic, but with no father in the house, I fear his energy will turn from school and learning to survival. This is important and to many churches seem more interested in their Sunday morning lineup than Monday afternoon mentoring! Way to go Don. . .
JamesW said,
October 14, 2008 @ 11:50 pm
I agree it’s a distraction, and my apologies for misreading your earlier blog posting about this (in my opinion) overrated issue.
As I mentioned, I have been trying to get something going at my church for a year now. I love the vision of the Mentoring Project, and have followed it since the Belmont website first went up (I was one of the first posters there). I am praying that God will clear out the obstacles at my church to get something going. I am praying that, in every city, the tragedy of fatherlessness, and the hope brought by mentoring, will get the attention it deserves.
Larry Shallenberger said,
October 15, 2008 @ 10:06 am
Sorry I can’t be at the board meeting and fund raiser this weekend, Don. But I’m excited to meet the crew in May.
Our church has some after-school programs in about seven public schools in the area. Can’t wait to infuse them with the mentoring piece.
@ all: Do check out To Own a Dragon. Next to SFGKW this is my favorite book in Don’s bibliography.
Larry Shallenberger said,
October 15, 2008 @ 10:17 am
@all: Don’t let the political stuff derail you.
Regardless of party, we can all look at scriptures and see that mentoring (or discipleship) is how the DNA of one soul gets transferred to someone in the next generation.
The Mentoring Project’s strategy transcends politics and seeks to unlock the redemptive potential of thousands of local churches across the country.
Logan Simpson said,
October 15, 2008 @ 10:32 pm
I just wanted to say that I think this is a beautiful initiative. It addresses one of America’s greatest needs (if not its greatest) and I firmly believe that you are doing it in a very effective way. I will be praying for the effort and contribute in any way that I can.
Owens said,
November 3, 2008 @ 1:45 pm
This is soo cooool.
Dave Keys said,
November 3, 2008 @ 10:10 pm
I love the new look!
We are working with Wade and Hannah on starting a mentoring ministry in Orlando at Northland. There is an information meeting tomorrow so please pray for God to send the right men. This issue has been on my heart for 20 years and I’ve mentored many young men, currently working with two high school boys.
We can change this world and bring the Kingdom of God here.