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Our History

Mentoring for young people in the Harwood Unified Union School District since 2022.

Founded
2022
Mentoring model
1:1
Hours a month together
3–4
Minimum commitment
1 year
Nonprofit, through Open Hearth
501(c)3

Our story

Mad River Mentoring (MRM) was founded in 2022 by a dedicated advisory board to address mentoring needs in the rural Mad River Valley. Since then, MRM has grown from an idea shared by a group of caring and dedicated individuals to a fully operational mentoring program serving the communities of the Harwood Union School District. MRM is coordinated by a Program Manager and the advisory board continues to provide oversight and support. We operate under the umbrella of Open Hearth, a 501(c)3 organization that serves as our fiscal agent.

We collaborate with parents/guardians, schools, and other organizations, to ensure all interested youth have access to high-quality mentoring opportunities.

How the program works

  1. Apply and train. Adult and youth participants engage in an application process as well as training.
  2. Get matched. Adult volunteers and young people are carefully matched based on interests and hobbies.
  3. Spend time together. Pairs spend three to four hours per month together: swimming, walking, hiking, kayaking, playing board games, cooking, getting a creemee, and just hanging out.
  4. Stay at least a year. Pairs commit to the program for at least one year and receive ongoing support throughout their time in the program.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

We stand with MENTOR Vermont and the Vermont mentoring field in our commitment to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment for all. We embrace our differences and celebrate our common humanity in advancing awareness of the need for equity and the transformative power of supportive relationships for young people. In an increasingly multicultural and diverse society, we value all perspectives, experiences, and opinions as central assets in our vision of every young person in our communities having supportive mentoring relationships to grow and thrive.

We welcome mentors and youth from all backgrounds regardless of class, culture, race, religion, ability, sexual orientation or gender identity. Mad River Mentoring does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities.