Guiding Future Generations at The Next Door Inc.
From The Next Door Inc.:
by Jordan Flores
The Dalles, Ore., April 16, 2024 — Jackson lived a very successful life in White Salmon, Washington as a father, husband, and business owner of a well-established fishing business. But Jackson felt like he still had room in his life to support someone in need. With a strong desire to give back to his community, he reached out to The Next Door Inc.’s (TNDI) Gorge Youth Mentoring (GYM) program and applied to become a mentor.
Not long after, Jackson was paired with a young boy named Liam. Liam, a middle schooler at the time, was highly intelligent and mechanically minded. His family didn’t have the means to provide him with many diverse experiences in life, but he was eager to try new things, so his parents signed him up for GYM.
As his mentor, Jackson leverages his community connections to give Liam new experiences and help him discover his passions. They have spent their time together fishing, exploring the coast, sightseeing in Seattle, and more. The pair also joins GYM's monthly group activities to socialize and meet other matches within the program while doing fun things such as art projects, white water rafting, and stand-up paddle boarding.
When it comes to Liam’s education, Jackson shows up for him in many ways. He’s a strong advocate for Liam, having helped ease his transition from middle to high school. Jackson supported him in reframing his social skills to develop positive relationships with school staff. The staff began to understand Liam more and were better able to make sure he felt supported at school. As a result, Liam’s attendance and performance in his classes improved drastically.
Now, four years later, Liam is planning his future with Jackson’s support. As Liam comes into his own, Jackson can see the impact he’s had in the decisions Liam makes and the way he carries himself. What Jackson didn’t expect, however, is how much of an impact Liam would have on his life too.
“Being Liam’s mentor has added a lot to my life in ways I could not have seen,” Jackson shares. “It’s not just some task or obligation that I have or a lot of pressure on my life. It’s a friendship.”
Your support helps us continue to provide youth like Liam with new experiences they may not have otherwise. Now through June 30th, your gift will be matched up to $25,000! Visit nextdoorinc.org/donate to double your impact today.
The Next Door Inc. (TNDI), the largest social service agency in the Gorge, was founded in 1971 to address the unmet need of support services for youth. Today, TNDI’s employees facilitate over 35 programs that strive to fulfill our mission of opening doors to new possibilities by strengthening children and families and improving communities in Oregon and Washington. For more information, please visit https://nextdoorinc.org/
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