MISSION

Empowering YOUTH through one-on-one mentoring to make positive life choices.

Mountain Mentors, a non-profit 501 (C) 3 agency, is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. We seek to follow Christ’s example of personal involvement with individuals who are hurting or in need. Specifically, we are committed to impacting the lives of youth in our community through one–on–one mentoring. Mountain Mentors believe that teens have physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Therefore, we strive to address these through role modeling, friendship, skills, and learning.

HISTORY

Mountain Mentors was created by Reverend Everett C. Mills in 1984. The program was founded as a non-profit 501(C) organization dedicated to supporting youth in the greater Toledo community. Prior to Mountain Mentors, Reverend Mills ran “Basement Saints”, out of his United Methodist Church in Hoytville, Ohio. This original program was viewed as an alternative social scheme for the local youth, who were otherwise left without a safe and friendly gathering place. He began taking members of this youth group to the White Mountains in his home state of New Hampshire. It was during these trips that Rev. Mills envisioned the one-on-one mentoring that Mountain Mentors incorporates today.

Mountain Mentors was founded in affiliation with the United Methodist Church through the former Euclid U.M. Church. In its first decade, the Lucas County Juvenile Court assigned approximately 125 students between the ages of 12 and 18 to Mountain Mentors. Andy Devine, then a Lucas County Juvenile judge, credited Rev. Mills’ dedication and persistence to helping the youth of Toledo. In 1987 the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges recognized the program as one of the most innovative alternative-to-incarceration programs in the country.

During the 1990s Mountain Mentors purchased a small New Hampshire property that has been developed as Camp Mills. This camp has been utilized as the base of operations for the annual hiking and camping trip. The interfaith program has evolved to serving mentoring referrals for a diverse range of teenagers from schools, juvenile probation, and other agencies. Programming has been increased with monthly educational sessions for skill-training and healthy adolescent development. For over 30 years, the program has remained primarily volunteer-based. Mountain Mentors partners with Northwest Ohio Community Shares, individual donors, and community corporations for the necessary funding.