Mentorship Spotlight: Aria + Akemi
Although their losses occurred a decade apart, the emotions surrounding their grief are similar with many familiar challenges.
Mentor Program
Mentors
Empower Mentors are positive and caring adults who are at least 25 years old and have experienced the loss of a parent (at any age, and to any type of loss).
Mentors and Mentees hang out a few hours a month doing normal, everyday activities. Mentors make a 1-year commitment to the Mentor Program and are supported monthly by a dedicated Empower Program Coordinator.
Mentees
Empower serves children and young adults up through age 24 in our mentor program who have experienced the loss of their mother or father.
About the Program
The Empower mentor program is a unique, one-on-one opportunity that pairs children with strong, inspiring mentors who know what losing a parent feels like. It is non-therapeutic, supportive, and inclusive to all.
Our mentors work on your schedule, at your speed. Because we know that sometimes it’s the little things that make the biggest difference — someone to take you back to school shopping or out to lunch after the game on Saturday. Someone who can listen, relate to your loss, and support. Someone who knows they are not a replacement for a lost parent, but a friendly face to help carry the weight or celebrate moments of joy. Someone who can understand — and share their own experience
Enrollment is simple + free. Children under age 14 must be enrolled by a parent or guardian, while children and young adults ages 14 – 24 may enroll themselves.
How it works
Join Empower
First, join the Empower community by completing our quick enrollment questionnaire. This form will help us learn more about you so that we can pair you with the right mentor and connect you to the Empower community in your area for events.
It's a Match!
Once we’ve learned a bit more about you, our team will find a mentor in your area who fits what you’re looking for. You’ll have an introductory meetup or call with your mentor to get to know each other and start the relationship.
Mentor Meetups
Mentor meetups can take place around milestone moments such as holidays, back to school shopping, or birthdays, but meetups can also be casual — a phone call, a trip to the ice cream store, a visit to a Museum. The frequency and duration of communication and meetups is flexible and is discussed with each family during the matching process.
Safety and Well-being
At Empower, the safety and well-being of each child is our top priority. Our mentor program partners with Mass Mentor Partnerships (MMP) and follows best practices in screening, training, and monitoring guidelines for each prospective Mentor.
Connect
Sometimes all you need is to know that you aren’t alone. Empower brings together an inspiring community built on shared experience and connection.
Support
The tremendous weight of grief can be a little lighter with someone to share it with — the entire Empower network is here to support children of parent loss.
Empower
Our mentors and events help children of parent loss regain their confidence and sense of self, providing tangible proof that loss can be survivable.
Mentorship Stories
Mentor Spotlight: Katie
To me, mentoring means showing someone that you are there for them, and demonstrating that surviving loss is possible.
Mentorship Spotlight: Maddie + Kaitlin
Maddie and Kaitlin have been matched for 5 years and have been there for each other for some of life’s biggest moments.