Program Info
Core Values
The staff and volunteers of the Shapes Mentoring Program will make every attempt to uphold the following values. Our program’s effectiveness depends on this.
POTENTIAL
The Shapes Mentoring Program believes that each person has value. We believe that all people are born with the potential to achieve greatness. Resiliency is a key to reaching this potential. The staff and volunteers of the Shapes Mentoring Program are committed to helping youth find their potential and teach them resilience skills that will help them rebound from anything life can throw their way.
INTEGRITY
The desire to maintain an upright character drives the Shapes Mentoring Program. This ideal must be our focus as we function with our staff, volunteers and clients, as well as the community at large. We will remain transparent in all aspects of the program and honesty will be the benchmark to ensure we remain loyal to our program’s purposes. This character will drive us to strive for excellence in everything we do.
COMMUNITY
Relationships are vital to the Shapes Mentoring Program. We desire a community fueled by positive energy that constantly motivates staff, volunteers and clients to strive to reach their potential. Our desire is to see people drawn to the Shapes Mentoring Program because they desire to be a part of a healthy, thriving community. We invite our community members to evaluate our program in order to maintain self-awareness. We acknowledge that it is only within community that we can meet our fullest potential.
SAFETY
The Shapes Mentoring Program is dedicated to providing our clients and families an environment where kids can be kids without fear of being hurt. Our volunteers function within a system of support that provides access to the tools necessary to succeed. The staff is given freedom to strive to accomplish new heights. The Shapes Mentoring Program strives to be that safe harbor in which all individuals can strive to reach their full potential.
History
A desire within the Assemblies of God Chaplaincy Department existed to meet the needs of the families affected by incarceration. For decades prison chaplains had been attending to the needs of the inmate, but little was being done to assist the families left behind, especially the children now without a parent(s). This group, with the help of Assemblies of God Charities applied for and received a grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services for the Mentoring of Children of Prisoners. This grant provided $450,000 to be used over the course of three years. As a result of this grant, The Shapes Mentoring Program was founded on September 29, 2004.
The Shapes Mentoring Program functions under the auspices of the Assemblies of God National Chaplaincy Department. The employees of the program are employed by the General Council of the Assemblies of God. The Program Director reports to the National Chaplaincy Director.
Since its inception, the Shapes Mentoring Program has provided mentors to over 125 children in Southwest Missouri. Over this time the eligible service area has grown from Greene and Christian Counties to a total of 23 counties in Southwest Missouri.
In 2007, the program renewed its federal grant and received $510,000 over the course of three years for the continuance of this program.
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