There is power in mentorship, and positive things can come out of one-on-one mentoring relationships. That's the message behind Second Grace, a Mount Joy-based organization that pairs young single mothers - "Graces" - with trained advocates called "Sages." Candace Abel created Second Grace in 2021, and the program is expanding. A new program coordinator has been hired, and more mothers will soon receive services.

As the new program coordinator, Juanita Smith brings with her a background that includes working for a private foster care agency as well as working with individuals with mental health and substance use disorders.

Smith said Second Grace focuses on being proactive rather than reactive. "Second Grace and its volunteers are on the front end, proactively engaging with families to prevent or eliminate child welfare involvement and to empower young mothers to believe in themselves, achieve their goals and surpass all they thought they were capable of accomplishing," she said.

Under Smith's guidance, Second Grace is hoping to expand its volunteer roster to serve more mothers. "We have contracted with Healthy Beginnings Plus and Lancaster Children and Youth for referrals of young mothers between the ages of 18 and 25 who could use extra support," Smith shared. "We have received multiple referrals and are in need of more Sage mentors to train and be paired with these young women."

Sage mentors receive approximately 30 hours of training prior to matching with a Grace. "This training includes topics of trauma, Sage roles and responsibilities, communication methods and styles, substance use disorder, mental health, child welfare, mandated reporter and confidentiality," Smith stated. "We then offer ongoing training and connection meetings monthly for active Sages."

Sages have a variety of roles within Second Grace. "They are first and foremost positive, encouraging connections for the Grace they pair with," Smith remarked. "Aside from that, they may provide transportation to appointments, a job or the grocery store. They can help connect their Grace to community services like food banks, WIC or GED classes. They may go to the park or just spend time visiting for social connection. Recently, we helped a couple young women move into new apartments and helped with child care while they unpacked."

A good Second Grace volunteer is a woman who has compassion and empathy for young mothers and who is eager and willing to be an emotional and physical support, Smith said. "We ask for a two-year commitment of six to 10 hours each month, to allow for the building and establishing of a relationship between Sage and Grace," she said.

Volunteers are also needed in other roles, including men and women who can assist with fundraising, marketing and social media; physical labor such as moving furniture; transportation; office help; serving on the board and more. "If someone has a passion to serve these young women and their children, we would love to partner with them and find a way for them to be involved," Smith said.

Volunteering with Second Grace is an opportunity to change the trajectory of a mother's and a child's life, she said. "When we can meet the physical and emotional needs of an individual while building a trusting relationship, the future of the family will effectively be changed for the better," she noted. "I cannot think of a better way to spend a few hours a month than to pour it into building a relationship that will literally change someone's future."

To register for an upcoming volunteer information session, visit https://secondgrace.org/mentor.