Be the difference. Be a friend. Be inspired.
Imagine spending just 30 minutes once a week to brighten a child’s life. Join me as a mentor—become a Lunch Pal—at Lakewood Elementary School in St. Petersburg and make a lasting difference.
My experience: Eight years ago, I started mentoring at Mount Vernon Elementary, where I met Tommy, a young boy living in a group home with his brother. With his home life in turmoil, he lacked the support that many of us take for granted. I often wondered what it felt like for him to go home each day without his mom there.
Our weekly sessions were simple—often just reading I Spy books together. But little by little, things changed. Tommy, who started out sitting across the table, soon moved closer, and before long, he’d greet me with a huge smile and skip to our meetings. He even began putting his arm around me.
Seeing that change in Tommy was incredible, knowing that my presence alone made such an impact. Eventually, he was reunited with his family, and since then, I’ve mentored other boys, including a fantastic fourth-grader I meet with today.
The need is great.
Lakewood Elementary is filled with bright, resilient kids facing tough situations. Every child there receives free lunch; some even receive food to take home for the weekend. Many live in group homes, motels, or don’t have a stable place to call home. Others just need a positive role model—someone to encourage them, listen to them, and help them stay on track.
Mentoring is simple. It doesn’t require special skills—just a willingness to show up, listen, and care. The leadership team at Lakewood is there to guide and support you, making it easy and rewarding to connect with your student. You’ll leave each session feeling like you made a difference—and you will have.
Lakewood Elementary has achieved an A rating thanks to the dedication of its staff and mentors. Let’s help keep it that way. Become a mentor, and be the person a child can count on to show up, to listen, and to inspire.
Want to be remembered for the lives you’ve changed? Want to feel the reward of giving back in a powerful way? Mentoring is another way of creating a legacy in the community.
Join with us/have questions?
Why mentoring matters
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After weeks of reviewing St. Petersburg’s proposed $600 million bond referendum, I still have serious questions about its costs, benefits and financing. Here’s why I’m voting NO.
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The City wants voters to authorize $600 million in borrowing for critical infrastructure. But do voters have enough information about the projects, costs, benefits and oversight to make an informed decision?
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St. Petersburg voters are being asked to approve $600 million in borrowing that, with interest, could cost approximately $1.1 billion over 30 years. But the $600 million is only one piece of a much larger $4.4 billion infrastructure program. Before we vote, shouldn’t we understand what needs to be done, what the $600 million will accomplish sooner, and what all of it will ultimately cost residents?
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A small, independent group focused on one question: what will help make St. Petersburg an even better place to live, work, build businesses and create opportunity for the future?
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A $12 million City subsidy for 24 townhomes raises a bigger question: Should St. Petersburg bring more independent financial and professional expertise into major decisions before they are made?
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Charlie Crist’s comments on the Gas Plant point toward a different approach: let the City set the vision, maintain control and preserve the value of this extraordinary public property.
