King Street Center

Information for Parents

There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get the kids to school, go to work, run errands, clean the house, and most importantly...spend time with your children.

Mentoring can help. Mentors are people in the community that are looking to develop a safe, supportive, and caring relationship with a child. Mentors come from all walks of life—college students, “empty nesters,” young professionals, seniors, and more—but what they all share is a common desire to be a friend, guide, and companion to a child.

We believe that the most important role model in your child’s life is you! But we also think that the more time children can spend with caring adults, the better off they’ll be in the long run. That’s why we try and match every child that comes to King Street with a mentor.

We have one of the oldest and largest mentoring programs in the state, and all of our mentors are carefully screened before they ever meet your child. We interview each applicant, perform a criminal background check, call references, and learn about their interests and personalities to find the perfect match for your child. And once the match is made, we’ll check in with you from time to time to make sure everything is going smoothly.

What do mentors do?

There are three different mentoring programs at King Street Center, but the most common is to match your child with a “Big Buddy.” In this program we match children with a responsible adult who spends a few hours each week with your child. Kids and mentors decide together what they will do on any given day. Typical activities are things like riding bikes, going to a movie, playing sports or games—simple pleasures that kids and adults both enjoy.

We also have a mentoring program that focuses on homework help and another that’s just for boys. Give us a call and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have about the different options available to you.

How do I sign up?

Your first step is to contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Gabriella Tufo-Strouse, who will walk you through the application process. She can be reached at 862-6736 ext 105 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .