Marion Mentors

08/27/2026

THEY NEED SOMEONE WHO WILL SHOW UP.

For the past few years, Marion Mentors has been proud to partner with North Central Ohio Rehabilitation Center (NCORC) here in Marion, providing mentors for the young boys at the facility.

This partnership is important. These young men are at a point in their lives were having a positive, consistent adult role model can make a lasting difference.

We need MORE mentors to step up.

You don’t have to be a counselor.
You don’t have to have all the answers.
You don’t have to be perfect.

You simply need to be someone who is willing to show up, listen, encourage, and care.

⏰ Just ONE HOUR a week.

Sometimes we may never fully realize the impact of an hour spent with a young person. Mentoring isn’t about fixing someone’s life. It’s about building a relationship and being a consistent person who shows up.

Our community has incredible people who have the heart to make a difference. We just need more of you to take that first step.

💙 Help us grow Marion Mentors at NCORC.
💙 Help us reach more young men.
💙 Help us give them positive role models and someone in their corner.

Attached is NCORC flyer with information please reach out to Zenomia Troutman at the number on flyer or Toy Pendleton
[email protected] to learn more about becoming a Marion Mentor at NCORC.

08/18/2026

💙 One Hour Can Change a Life

A new school year is just around the corner, and Marion Mentors is getting ready for the 2026–2027 school year!

But we need YOU.

We are looking for caring, dependable adults who are willing to step up and become a volunteer mentor to a young person in our community. You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to be a teacher. You simply have to be willing to show up, listen, encourage, and be there.

⏰ Just ONE HOUR a week.

One hour to sit with a young person.
One hour to listen to them.
One hour to encourage them.
One hour to remind them that someone believes in them.

That one hour may seem small to you, but to a young person, it can mean EVERYTHING. ❤️

Mentoring is about building relationships, creating confidence, providing support, and helping our youth see their own potential. Sometimes the greatest impact we can make is simply showing a young person that they matter.

As we begin another school year, we want to reach even more youth, but we can’t do it without volunteers willing to step up and make a difference. If you or someone you know would be interested in becoming a Marion Mentor, please reach out to me. I would love to talk with you about how you can get involved.

Will you be the person who shows up?

Contact
Toy Pendleton
[email protected]

06/10/2026

Today my heart is overflowing with gratitude.

The Ohio State University created and shared a story highlighting Marion Mentors and OSUM PALS, and I honestly don't have the words to fully express how much this means to me. When we started this work, the goal was simple, make sure every child knows they matter, has someone in their corner, and has the support they need to succeed. To see that mission recognized and shared on such a large platform is truly humbling!

I want to extend my deepest thanks to The Ohio State University team for taking the time to tell our story and help spread awareness about the life-changing impact mentoring can have on a young person. Thank you for believing that these stories are worth telling and for helping us shine a light on the incredible mentors, mentees, families, schools, and community partners who make this work possible.

This recognition is not about one person. It belongs to every mentor who shows up consistently, every student who courageously opens their heart to a mentoring relationship, every school that partners with us, and every supporter who believes in investing in our youth.

The work we do through Marion Mentors and PALS changes lives every single day, and because of opportunities like this, even more people will learn about these programs and the difference they are making throughout our community.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this mission. The best is still ahead, and we will continue working to ensure every child has someone who believes in them.

Together, we are changing lives one relationship at a time!!

Toy Pendleton
Director of Teen & Youth Development
Marion Mentors
Marion Family YMCA

A simple promise kept each week through Ohio State Marion’s PALS program is helping local students build trust, confidence and hope — proving the power of consistency and care.

02/24/2026

Happening now at the Marion Family YMCA

02/24/2026

✨ Mentor Highlight Series ✨

I’m excited to share that I will now be doing monthly mentor highlights, and there was no better way to kick this off than by recognizing someone truly extraordinary. 💙

Evelyn Lisiecki is a mentor with Marion Mentors, and she has gone above and beyond what mentoring so often looks like. While most mentors commit to walking alongside one young person, Evelyn has opened her heart and her time to four incredible young men in our community one at Ridgedale and three at Harding High School.

Mentoring even one youth takes patience, consistency, energy, and love. Taking on four is nothing short of remarkable. Evelyn shows up. She listens. She believes. She pours into these young men in ways that will ripple far beyond today into their confidence, their choices, and their futures.

This is what commitment looks like. This is what impact looks like. And this is why mentoring matters so deeply.

I am incredibly grateful for Evelyn for her heart, her willingness to step up when others may hesitate, and for being a living example of what it means to truly invest in our youth. Our community is stronger because of mentors like her. Thank you, Evelyn, for being exactly who these young men need. 💙

02/19/2026

Calling All of our Marion Mentors!

If you are currently a mentor with Marion Mentors and are looking to grow, learn, and strengthen your impact, we have an amazing FREE resource for you!

The organization MENTOR offers a powerful book titled Becoming a Better Mentor, and it’s available at no cost to our mentors.

✨ You can access it:

Online

As an audiobook

Or, if you’re like me and prefer a printed copy, let me know, I can get you one free of charge!

About the book:
Becoming a Better Mentor: Strategies to Be There for Young People is written by field experts and filled with real-world, evidence-based strategies to help everyday individuals become strong, supportive mentors for youth.

Mentors who use this resource can expect to:

Develop effective mentoring skills

Learn the mindsets and attitudes that build strong mentoring relationships

Understand youth development and common mentoring relationship cycles

Explore critical skills and competencies to meet youth needs

Gain emotional support strategies, discussion topics, and tips for structuring mentoring sessions

This is an incredible opportunity to continue growing as mentors and better serve the youth we walk alongside.

Interested? Comment below or message me, and I’ll share how to access the digital versions or reserve you a printed copy.

Thank you for all you do to make a difference, one relationship at a time.

02/18/2026

Some kids don’t need another lecture.
They don’t need another consequence.
They don’t need someone to “fix” them.

They need one person who shows up.
One person who listens.
One person who believes in them when the world hasn’t.

At Marion Mentors, we see it every day, youth who just want to know they matter. Youth who are carrying more than they should at their age. And when a mentor steps in consistently, something powerful happens confidence grows, trust forms, and hope begins to replace doubt.

Becoming a mentor isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about being present.
It’s about saying, “I’m here, and I’m not giving up on you.”

And remember, juniors and seniors can step up to mentor too.
Your voice, your experience, and your example can make a real difference to someone who’s looking up to you.

You have the power to change the direction of a young person’s life just simply by showing up.

If your heart has ever felt called to do more…
If you believe every child deserves someone in their corner…
This is your sign.

Become a mentor.
Be the difference. ❤️
If interested please contact,
Toy Pendleton
[email protected]
740.725.9622 ext. 135

02/09/2026

Last week, I had the incredible honor of traveling to Washington, DC for the second year in a row to attend Capitol Hill Training, Capitol Hill Day, and the MENTOR National Mentoring Summit. It was an exhausting, fast paced week but one that was deeply meaningful and rewarding in every possible way.

Capitol Hill Day is not just a visit to the Capitol. It is a chance to sit face to face with lawmakers and advocates and speak up for mentoring programs and the youth who rely on them every single day. It is a chance to remind decision makers that mentoring is not optional. It is life changing. Without funding and continued support, many mentoring programs would be forced to shut their doors, leaving young people without safe spaces, trusted adults, and consistent encouragement when they need it most.

It was also great going to Capitol Hill Day alongside the other four Ohio participants. Jessica Bloomingdale and Megan Kilner from The Mentoring Collaborative of Montgomery County, and Laurie Moline and Isaiah Smith from MentorStark. Out of the entire state of Ohio, only five people participated in Capitol Hill Day this year, which made the experience even more meaningful and impactful. Both of their programs are doing incredible work in their communities and making a real difference in the lives of youth they serve.

Being in a room filled with people from across the country who dedicate their lives to mentoring was incredibly powerful. These are people who truly understand the work. The victories, the heartbreaks, the long days, and the constant fight to keep programs going. So often, the outside world only sees the success stories. What they do not always see are the challenges. The stress of securing funding, the emotional weight of walking alongside youth who have experienced trauma, loss, and instability, and the responsibility of ensuring every program remains high quality, intentional, and impactful.

Mentoring is not easy work. It takes time, heart, patience, and persistence. It takes showing up even when resources are limited. It takes believing in young people even when they struggle to believe in themselves. And it takes fighting every single day to make sure no child slips through the cracks simply because support was not available.

This trip reminded me exactly why I do this work. It gave me new ideas, new perspectives, and renewed motivation to continue growing Marion Mentors. To do better, reach farther, and serve our youth more effectively. I do not take this responsibility lightly. Advocating for our youth, learning how to strengthen our programs, and bringing back tools to better support our community is something I carry with me long after the trip ends.

The mentoring movement matters. Our youth matter. And I will continue to fight for them, advocate for them, and show up for them because no young person deserves to be left behind.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a mentor and helping support the youth in our community, please reach out to me.
Toy Pendleton
Director of Teen & Youth Development
[email protected]
740.725.9622 ext. 135

01/23/2026

💙 Mentees Besties Program OFFICIALLY KICKED OFF! 💙

One of the hardest realities in Marion Mentors has been there are more K–5th grade youth who need a mentor than there are adult mentors available. Instead of accepting that gap, I felt called to create a solution.

That solution is Mentees Besties, a branch of Marion Mentors built on the belief that high school students can be powerful role models for younger youth.

Today, my heart is so full because Mentees Besties officially kicked off with our very first match!
Aleigha, a high school junior, was matched with Ainsley, a 2nd grader at Heritage Elementary. From the very first moment, they connected I could see the comfort, the smiles, and the trust forming right in front of my eyes.

I have seen time and time again how younger students often open up more quickly and feel more understood when paired with a younger mentor. At the same time, our high school mentors are stepping into leadership, responsibility, and purpose in a way that truly changes lives including their own. This is only the beginning. More Mentees Besties matches are coming very soon!!!

Want to make a difference?
If you are a junior or senior in high school, or if you know a student who would love to mentor a younger child and give back to their community, please reach out to me. One hour a week can change a life. These hours will also earn you community service hours towards your seal for graduation.

Together, we are creating connection, building leaders, and proving that mentorship matters 💙

Toy Pendleton
Director of Teen & Youth Development
Marion Family YMCA
[email protected]
740.725.9622 ext. 135

12/04/2025

🌟 Become the Reason a Child Believes in Themselves 🌟

Right now, young people in our community are being supported, encouraged, and uplifted through the Marion Mentors program and the impact has been truly life-changing.

But the need is growing. There are still students waiting for someone who will simply show up, listen, and believe in them. You don’t have to be an expert, just a caring adult willing to invest one hour a week.

🤝 We are actively recruiting new mentors
If you’ve ever wondered how to make a real difference in our community, this is it. One hour can change a day… repeated consistently, it can change a life.

📣 Calling all local businesses, churches, and community groups!
I would love the opportunity to come speak at your staff meeting, small group, ministry gathering, or organization to share more about the program and how your team can get involved. This is a powerful way to create a culture of service and support the youth in our community.

If you’re interested in becoming a mentor or inviting me to speak with your group, please email me. Let’s work together to build a stronger, more connected Marion.

✨ Our kids are worth it. Our community is worth it. And YOU could be the reason a student believes in their future.

Contact
Toy Pendleton
Director of Teen & Youth Development
Marion Family YMCA
[email protected]