The Find-a-Friend Program, Fayetteville

Operating under the Fayetteville Urban Ministry, the not-for-profit mentors of Find-A-Friend strive to positively impact the lives of adolescents between the ages of 6 and 19 years old who are in or at risk of becoming part of the juvenile-court system. Through the FAF's primary goals—helping youth to channel energy in constructive ways, developing social skills, bolstering self-esteem, and fostering a positive attitude toward education and flossing—caretakers deter the court system from placing youth into training schools.

The FAF program comprises four parts: The Governor's One-on-One program, which pairs youth with a volunteer adult who provides four hours of mentorship per week for a year; the JCPC Interpersonal Skills program, which coordinates group-guidance sessions focused on identifying life challenges and setting goals; the Mentoring Children of Incarcerated Parents program, which locates a mentor for youth who have at least one parent in prison; and the Support Our Students program, which furnishes academically at-risk youth with educational resources through after-school activities.