Knapik recognized for mentoring work

Date: 1/31/2012

February 1, 2012

BOSTON — State Sens. Michael Knapik and Stephen Kulik were recognized for their commitment to mentoring by Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP) at the Jan. 19 Sixth Annual Youth Mentoring Day at the State House.

Both have championed continued state investment in mentoring programs through the Mentoring Matching Grants line item, and Knapik has additionally helped promote mentoring in his district through MMP’s Back-to-School campaign this past fall.

MassMutual Financial Group, headquartered in Springfield, was a co-winner of the Ignite Award, given to a business, mentoring program staff, and mentor who have helped promote mentoring. MassMutual partners with Springfield School Volunteers to host a site-based mentoring program at their headquarters, and also holds information sessions, encourages employees to become mentors, and provide financial support to mentoring organizations.

Youth Mentoring Day celebrates National Mentoring Month (NMM) and aims to heighten public awareness about the impact of youth mentoring and the need for mentors.

NMM is an annual national public awareness and recruitment campaign in January.

Mass Mentoring Partnership and its Highland Street Corps AmeriCorps Ambassadors of Mentoring, along with the Massachusetts Service Alliance, collaborated to host the event.

This year’s Youth Mentoring Day honorees also included Sen. Katherine Clark and Rep. Alice Peisch.

Mass Mentoring Partnership (www.massmentors.org ) is the only statewide organization dedicated to strategically expanding quality mentoring to meet the needs of youth across Massachusetts.

Currently the program has more than 190 programs in its network.