Power of mentoring on display in Northern Liberties

NORTHERN LIBERTIES (WPVI) -- Women and African-American girls gathered Wednesday in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia hoping to inspire connections that have the potential to completely change the course of a young life.

"Mentoring saved my life, mentoring is life changing. Having someone who believes in you for no other reason than they just believe in you is a gift," Mischa Toland, founder and CEO of Greatness Now and Girls as CEOs, said.

Toland was invited to participate in a short Q&A about the importance of mentoring.

The Mentoring Partnership and Resource Center (MPRC) held the event along with other mentoring organizations.

"There are kids out there who need mentors and they need really good mentoring and so many people have amazing intentions and we want to make sure that mentors are equipped to treat kids and empower them the way that they need to be empowered," Abigail Ellis of MPRC said.

Research shows children who are mentored are much more likely to show improvement in grades and go onto pursue higher education.

But there are other more profound transformations.

"I'm not a person who likes to communicate with people, but it's given me a chance to know more women," Deja Charity said.

Octavia Blount is Charity's mentor.

"She's like another mom to me," Charity said.

Blount says it was her son Octavius who encouraged her to get involved.

He runs his own mentoring program.

"What my son tells me is if they can't see it, they can't be it," Octavia Blout said.

"Have them see that I'm not just what people say I am on TV and on the media, just to have them say I can be more," Octavius Blout of The Game Project said.

The MPRC is always looking for new mentors and mentees.

For more information on how to get involved: http://www.partnersinmentoring.org/

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