[The following final update was written by the organization and then sent to us for further sharing.]

Mentor For Change (MFC) is a youth development nonprofit 501(c)(3) based in East Los Angeles that unlocks the potential of every youth through career-based mentorship, college access support, and supportive relationships. Our programs are designed to connect youth with their career dreams through one-on-one, career-based mentorship and to provide experiential learning opportunities through community impact projects, life-skills workshops, and college-access support. With MFC’s critical support in providing the infrastructure for positive academic achievement, personal development, and a sense of belonging, youth realize their potential while gaining the tools and connections they need to thrive as students and career professionals.

With support from LA2050, MFC expanded its mentoring programs to ensure that youth from under-resourced communities not only graduate from high school, but also gain the confidence, professional skills, and networks needed to thrive as first-gen college students, professionals, and community leaders. This grant enabled MFC to deepen its infrastructure, grow its volunteer mentor base, expand to new school sites, establish new partnerships with CBOs, strengthen pathways to higher education and employment, and begin the process of launching our first social enterprise.

Over the past year, the LA2050 grant has helped MFC directly serve over 120 youth through four core programs – DreamMentor, CollegeMentor, HopeMentor, and PeaceMentor – each designed to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty by combining one-on-one mentorship with social-emotional learning and experiential growth opportunities. In addition, the grant supported MFC’s capacity to begin services at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in order to provide social-emotional development, life-skills training, and career exploration workshops.

The LA2050-funded project was implemented as outlined in MFC’s original proposal. Funding directly supported personnel costs for program operations, workshops, community impact projects, and event expenses tied to the DreamMentor graduation.

All other planned activities, including monthly workshops, mentor-mentee meetings, and community projects, were completed on schedule and within budget.

The programs operated across four tracks:

• DreamMentor - career and personal development for FGLI and unhoused youth.
• CollegeMentor - college application and transition support for FGLI and unhoused youth. HopeMentor - social-emotional learning and life skills mentoring for unhoused youth.
• PeaceMentor - career exploration and personal development for youth in the juvenile justice system.

The programs delivered the following workshops and served the corresponding number of youth participants:

• 127 youth directly served through MFC’s four mentorship programs
• 48 volunteer mentors and other workshop volunteers engaged across Los Angeles County
• Program Delivery
  • 11 DreamMentor workshops
  • 8 CollegeMentor workshops
  • 9 HopeMentor workshops
  • 27 PeaceMentor workshops (23 additional meetings/sessions: one-on-one meetings, house visits, court support)

Educational and Career Outcomes

• 100% of DreamMentor and CollegeMentor program graduates earned (or on-track) high school diplomas.
• 100% college enrollment rate of DreamMentor program and CollegeMentor program graduates enrolled in college, with 25 youth supported through the CollegeMentor workshops and one-to-one coaching, and an additional 30 first-gen college students supported with one-to-one coaching post-matriculation in college.
• 6 paid internships completed through MFC’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) and partner sites.
• 100% youth reported increased self-efficacy, improved communication skills, and greater sense of belonging based on pre- and post-program surveys.

Community Impact Projects

20 Community Impact Projects were completed by youth addressing local community needs/challenges such as educational equity, youth employment and entrepreneurship, self-defense for girls, substance use disorder awareness, youth voter engagement, know your rights workshops, material resources for immigrants, strengthening intergenerational relationships, mental health, recreational programming for children experiencing homelessness, heart disease awareness, and environmental conservation.

These projects were showcased by mentees during the October workshop, and seven finalists were selected to present their work at the graduation on November 1, 2025. A panel of judges (community leader, mentee alumni, mentor alumni, and board member) will evaluate the

presentations to identify the most impactful project, and the winning finalist will receive an additional $1,000 scholarship award toward their post-secondary education.

Each mentee’s Community Impact Project has engaged and served an average of 15 local residents, resulting in an estimated indirect impact of over 300 community members. Collectively, these projects mobilized 48 volunteers and multiple community partners, including schools, local nonprofits, and small businesses.

Youth-led Community Impact Projects have:

• Raised awareness on mental health in high schools.
• Facilitated Know Your Rights workshops to the undocumented community and their families.
• Partnered with local nonprofits to distribute essential supplies to unhoused residents.
• Organized campaigns to promote environmental stewardship and access to green spaces.
• Led peer workshops to other first-generation youth on college readiness and financial literacy.
• Organized a self-defense class for community members in partnership with a Jiu Jitsu studio.

The LA2050 grant strengthened MFC’s credibility and operational capacity, directly opening new funding relationships - notably, a subcontracting agreement with the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) to support workforce readiness initiatives. This

partnership expands MFC’s reach and positions to sustain the impact of this project long after the grant period. In addition, MFC secured a capital grant with the Ahmanson Foundation for the purchase of MacBooks and hotspots, which created tech equity for CollegeMentor program participants and MFC staff.

Story of Major Accomplishment

The most compelling outcomes of MFC’s work are found in the personal journeys of youth whose lives have been transformed through consistent mentorship, community support, and opportunity.

“S” has experienced chronic homelessness since fourth grade. Placed in multiple host families through the foster agency Olive Crest, she endured deep trauma – estrangement from her father, repeated displacement, and family instability. When MFC met S in 2022, she was emotionally shut down, frequently moved between shelters, and struggled to maintain educational continuity.

MFC provided S with transportation support, medical care access support, college and career mentorship, and emotional safety through its HopeMentor, DreamMentor, and CollegeMentor programs. She found stability through consistent contact with her mentors and peers. For her Community Impact Project, S leveraged her lived expertise to uplift the dignity of 200 unhoused girls and women by mobilizing mentors, peers, and community partners to provide feminine hygiene kits, resources, and storytelling spaces to promote visibility and healing.

In 2024, S entered MFC’s CollegeMentor program and, despite attending 16 different schools across her K-12 journey, she submitted applications to 26 competitive universities. She received not only admission but also full funding at UC Berkeley, an accomplishment she attributes to the mentorship and guidance she received through MFC. Moreover, S has leveraged the community engagement and leadership skills she developed in MFC to be selected as an Associate of the Black and African Student Empowerment Department in the ASUC Senate at UC Berkeley. Through MFC’s continuous community support and mentorship, S has grown the positive self-identity, self-efficacy, critical thinking, communication skills, and social capital required to pursue her mission of advancing postsecondary equity and success for Black and unhoused youth.

As S’s story demonstrates, MFC’s youth enter the program needing support but graduate as leaders who lend their strength to others. Many return to mentor younger peers through the Youth Advisory Board internship, building a continuum of care that strengthens both individual and community transformation. This continuum, from mentee to mentor, is how MFC creates generational impact across Los Angeles.

Evaluation Process

MFC used a mixed-methods evaluation process to measure program effectiveness and participant satisfaction. Tools include:

• Pre- and post-program surveys measuring changes in academic confidence, career readiness, and sense of belonging.
• Mentor logs and staff observation notes documenting youth progress, engagement, and personal milestones.
• Entrance and exit interviews with mentees assessing growth in communication, leadership, and self-awareness.
• Monthly mentee cluster meetings, facilitated by MFC’s Youth Advisory Board.
• Participant feedback forms following each workshop.

Evaluation results indicate that youth report significant growth in confidence, communication, and overall emotional well being. Many youth who began the program were uncertain about their academic and career goals, but can now articulate clear postsecondary and career pathways.

Mentors and staff have observed improved emotional regulation, increased attendance consistency, and greater initiative in project leadership. Youth satisfaction remains exceptionally high, with 100% of mentees expressing they would recommend MFC to a friend, citing the caring 1-1 relationships, practical college and career guidance, and sense of belonging they found in the program.

Partnerships

MFC’s success depends on trust-based partnerships with schools, community organizations, and local agencies. During the grant period, MFC:

• Expanded to new school sites, including Magnolia Science Academy Charter School, broadening access for FGLI youth in Los Angeles.
• Deepened collaborations with local community organizations (e.g., Boyle Heights Beat, AltPath, Advot, Arts for a Better Tomorrow) that support youth in the community.
• Formalized a subcontracting relationship with the LA County Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO).
• Partnered with LA County Probation to begin providing services at Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall. From January to July, MFC provided its programming as a volunteer service. MFC is currently in the process of applying for a county contract with LA County Probation.

Continuing the Work

The work funded by LA2050 will continue and expand beyond the grant period. MFC’s sustainability strategy includes:

• Social Enterprise Development: MFC is in the process of launching a youth-run café, a social enterprise that will generate revenue while providing paid internships, workforce training, and leadership development for alumni.
• Diversified Funding Streams: MFC has built on this grant’s momentum to attract new funders and public-sector partners, including LA County DEO and local foundations.
• Scaling Program Infrastructure: The organization is systematizing data management and mentor training to ensure quality and replicability across sites.
• Alumni Engagement: Graduates of MFC’s programs are increasingly returning as mentors, interns, and youth advocates, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem of leadership.

Through these strategies, MFC will continue advancing youth economic mobility and social equity across Los Angeles County.

The LA2050 grant has been transformative for Mentor For Change. Thank you so much for believing in our mission and supporting us to do this important work.