Fishers-based Youth Mentoring Initiative (YMI) has received a grant of $170,470 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help expand its 1:1 school-based mentoring programs to elementary schools within Hamilton Southeastern Schools (HSE).
The program is funded through Lilly Endowment’s initiative, Strengthening Youth Programs in Indiana. The aim of the competitive initiative is to help youth-serving organizations throughout Indiana improve their abilities to promote the academic, physical and social well-being of young people, ages five through 18.
YMI mentors have served HSE Schools since 2008 and currently offer school-based mentoring programs for Hamilton Southeastern students in grades 5-12. YMI mentors are adult volunteers that meet with a student for 30-45 minutes each week at the student’s school. This grant will allow YMI to expand mentoring opportunities to elementary-aged students.
“We are thrilled for this opportunity to offer mentoring to more students within our school district,” states Brittany Rayburn, YMI Executive Director. “We know that a caring adult mentor can make a significant impact on a student’s success and we are grateful for Lilly Endowment’s support of this initiative and supporting the needs of our youngest students.”
YMI is one of 187 organizations to receive a grant through Strengthening Youth Programs in Indiana.
“Indiana’s youth-serving organizations are crucial to the healthy development of children and youth across the state,” said Ted Maple, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for education. “The challenges these organizations have faced in meeting the needs of young people in recent years have made their work increasingly difficult. Lilly Endowment is pleased to support their efforts to strengthen programs and serve more youth more effectively.”
Lilly Endowment launched Strengthening Youth Programs in Indiana Initiative in 2022 with an invitational round of grants to nine national youth-serving organizations to help them expand and enhance the work of their Indiana affiliates or chapters.
About Youth Mentoring Initiative
Youth Mentoring Initiative is a Fishers, Ind.-based nonprofit that serves the Hamilton Southeastern Schools community through school-based mentor programs for students that inspire future generations and build a better community. YMI provides mentoring for students by building and sustaining a
mentoring community with the highest level of empathy, dependability, inspiration, inclusivity, and integrity. Learn more about becoming a mentor or recommending a prospective mentee at ymionline.org.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. Although the Endowment funds programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion, it maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.