As you may know, I’m involved with a non-profit called BUILD.  I was a mentor when I used to live in the Bay Area and it was a very rewarding experience during my four years with them.  In addition, I joined the NYC board of BUILD in January, to help them launch here.

The mission of the organization: Through entrepreneurship-based, experiential learning, BUILD ignites the potential of youth in under-resourced communities and equips them for high school, college and career success.

Some of the students who are enrolled in BUILD have no aspirations to attend college, we want to change that.  If it wasn’t for the students’ involvement in BUILD, they might not have graduated from high school.  As a mentor, you have the ability to positively impact the path that these students are on.

BUILD was founded in 1999 and it is finally launching in NYC, having proved out their programming/model in the Bay Area, Boston and in D.C.

This upcoming October ’16, 500 local high school Freshman will be enrolling in the BUILD program.

We need 100 mentors to support these 500 students.  As of now, we have 50 mentors committed and need another 50.

There is a significant time commitment by the mentors:

1. Program goes the entire school year, October ’16 to May ’17
2. One hour per week (some weeks off due to holidays/vacation breaks)
3. Sessions are in the afternoon at the students’ schools (locations are in Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn)

Who are out Mentors?  They are professionals who are dedicated to serving the students and have the flexibility in their work schedule to spend time with them once a week.  Mentors are providing guidance from a business/life perspective, you don’t need to have a technical or startup background to participate.

If you want to get more information about become a mentor, visit the mentor site or if you feel you are ready to apply to be a mentor, email Miranda Bellizia at mbellizia@build.org .

Thank you for reading this far.