Serving as a mentor for Minds Matter Southern California for three years was the most rewarding experience I’ve had in LA since I moved here seven years ago. Watching my mentee progress through Minds Matter and achieve his dream of attending college showed me that volunteering for only a few hours a week can have a tangible, meaningful impact! While my mentee has since graduated from Minds Matter and is currently in his sophomore year at Carnegie Mellon, I am still involved in Minds Matter as a Sophomore Program Team Lead in my 5th consecutive year volunteering with the organization. At Minds Matter Southern California, we believe in the potential and power in all of us. That’s why we commit to long-term relationships with students, cultivating a community of diverse volunteers, professionals, and educators that feels like family—one that meets our students with unwavering support and guidance to embrace their whole selves and unlock their full potential. Together, we spark the greatness inside each and every one of our students and give them the space to thrive. This holiday season, help us ignite the potential of students from low-income, undervalued communities to pursue their dreams, achieve a college education, and become tomorrow’s empowered leaders. Our rigorous, holistic program of tutoring, mentoring, social-emotional learning, leadership, and life skills creates the foundation for success. We dream big about creating a better, more equitable world and hold ourselves accountable to make it happen for our students, each other, and society. Please consider donating to Minds Matter Southern California from now until December 31st. The organization is 99% volunteer-run with only three paid staff members and more than 250 volunteers! The money raised during this campaign will fund transformational academic summer programs, provide mental wellness services, support career exploration activities and many more growth opportunities for our students. We’re all in for our students. Join us!