SEATTLE CARES MENTORING MOVEMENT history

Susan L. Taylor leads national campaign to recruit mentors for vulnerable youth.

2024	A new City of Seattle grant provides funds to support learning,healing and fostering connections to assist under-resourced families in Seattle. After two years, Voices for Changes expands into virtual workshops: Each offers five presentations over five weeks, tackling timely and challenging topics important to the community.
2022	In spring, Seattle CARES inaugurates Voices for Change, a virtual series that brings some of the nation’s top educators, mental health counselors and life coaches to help parents and guardians improve their lives.
2020	In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Seattle CARES programs transition to an all-virtual format in spring 2020. To assist with continuing programs during this time, Seattle CARES receives a youth development grant from School’s Out Washington and the state of Washington. CARES launches Positive Family Connections, a program that uses Wellness Healing Circles to provide a safe place for single parents and guardians, primarily women, to seek emotional support and work through solutions.
2019	The Rising middle school program continues to see gains as it enters its second year. The program works to create more self-esteem and impart critical thinking and social skills, sending the message to young people that they are smart and can succeed.
2018	“Our Best: Black Male Achievement Mentoring Campaign” has a community-wide launch on Jan. 12 at Broadway Performance Hall — a popular event that was standing-room only. Presenters included Susan L. Taylor, director of the National CARES program, and Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkin. The Our Best program, supported by City of Seattle and local mentoring agencies, recruits and trains black male adults to mentor black at-risk youth. In June, Seattle CARES receives a three-year, $300,000 grant from King County’s Best Starts for Kids, one of 32 awardees selected. The Rising, an innovative curriculum-based group mentoring program, targets 6th graders at Denny International Middle School in West Seattle and Meany Middle School on Capitol Hill.
2017	Seattle CARES is one of 58 local affiliates in the National CARES Mentoring Movement. Leaders across all 58 Affiliates are being trained to receive and replicate The Rising, and its partner program, University for Parents.
2010	SCMM becomes a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization
2009	Pro-bono attorneys Walter Impert and Sherman Snow, with Dorsey Whitney, apply for the the organization’s 501(c) 3 status.
2009	CARES forms a coalition of 60 of the finest minds in the nation, representing scholars, activists, wellness professionals, faith-based and business leaders as well as artists, who work collaboratively for a year to write “A New Way Forward: Healing What’s Hurting Black America (ANWF),” a 149-page manual that outlines the crises in our communities and offers a holistic resolution.
July 5, 2008	Seattle CARES Mentoring Movement hosts its first mentor recruitment rally at the Skyway United Methodist Church, with Susan Taylor in attendance.The goal is to recruit prospective mentors for youths aged 6-18 who are at high risk of forfeiting their futures because of school failure and dropping out, teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, alcohol and drugs, gang involvement, violence, incapacitating injury or death,or incarceration. The rally offers prospective mentors an opportunity to meet representatives of several mentoring organizations in King County as they learn about their programs and the youth they serve.
June 3 2008	The first Seattle CARES Mentoring Movement steering committee meets, facilitated by County Councilman Larry Gossett. Local organizations and affiliates that join and endorse the mentoring movement include:The 4C Coalition with its local affiliates, A. Philip Randolph Institute, CASA, Casey Family Programs, DSHS, King County, King County Superior Court, The Links Inc., M. L. King County Labor Unions Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle, United Way and Washington State Mentors. The effort is fully supported by Lt. Governor Brad Owen and Councilman Gossett.
March 26 2008	An exciting and successful launch of Seattle CARES Mentoring Movement. Susan L. Taylor and Thomas Dortch travel to Seattle to be present at the event.
2008	National CARES Mentoring Movement learns that while 3 million children are being mentored nationwide, 15 million remain in need. CARES begins developing a group-mentoring model to support the millions who are harmed by poverty and neglect, exposed to violence and attending ill-equipped schools.
2006	National CARES Mentoring Movement is founded in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina but initially called Essence CARES while its director, Susan L. Taylor, serves as editor-in-chief of Essence Magazine.