Community Outreach
Food Bank
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Join our efforts to combat hunger:
Every Wednesday, 3:00PM-5:00PM
2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month, 10AM-12PM
at the ministry center's food pantry at 316 Elbo Lane, which is an affiliate of the Food Banks of South Jersey.
For more information,
please call 856-235-7900.
PROJECT T.I.M.E. MENTORING PROGRAM
Teach. Inform. Mentor. Educate.
The Project T.I.M.E. Mentoring Program strives to foster positive relationships between public school students and T.I.M.E. Mentors. Our mentors seek to support families and help improve students' chances of succeeding academically and socially.
The Project T.I.M.E. Mentoring Program matches trained community volunteers with elementary and middle school students in cooperation with the schools’ teachers and intervention specialists. Mentors meet with students once or twice a week during the lunch hour. Mentors and students play on the playground, assist with schoolwork, read, or do other activities together. The mentors serve as role models and become stable, reliable friends to their students. Volunteers mentor from October to early June during the academic year.
Our Objectives:
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To provide positive role models for youth
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To enhance the self-esteem of students
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To encourage the academic success of students in at-risk situations
Our Goals:
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Increase positive attitudes toward school
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Achieve higher grades
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Improve relationships
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Express feelings better
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Develop higher levels of self confidence
About Mentors
As a mentor, you are among many special volunteers who are committed to sharing ideas and wisdom to encourage a student toward a more positive direction in his or her life.
The Mentor's Role
A mentor is a caring adult, a friend who listens, understands, responds and offers support and advice. Many students have a greater need for positive role models than for critics. This is especially true for students with low self-esteem. Mentors can be extremely effective sources of learning. Their roles can assist in numerous ways, including:
• Providing a model of correct behavior for a student to emulate.
• Developing a positive belief in the benefits of education.
• Clarifying values that lead to more positive attitudes.
• Developing problem-solving skills.
• Assisting in the development of short- and long-term goals.
• Providing consistency in chaotic situations.
Length of Match
The recommended time period that a mentor meets with the student is once a week a 3 to 5 visits per month for the entire school year. It is very important that the visits be consistent. The mentor and school usually decide the day of the visits.
Becoming a Mentor
Mentor Guidelines
All mentors must complete a Volunteer Application that is used to complete a background check. Once the mentor is approved the school coordinator is contacted and the mentor/student assignment can be made.
Training
Every mentor must attend a training session. The training session is usually held at the T.I.M.E. Mentor Office. Training is conducted by the Program Coordinator.
Initiating Matching
After the application is processed and approved, the Program Coordinator will meet with the counselor at the participating school to make the Mentor/Mentee match. When matching students, the coordinator starts with those students who are "ready to succeed" and not with the most troubled students who may need professional intensive counseling. Things to consider are similarities in backgrounds, hobbies, family composition and career interests in matching students with mentors. The coordinator will send a recommendation letter and consent form to the student's parent/guardian.