A Trusting, Caring Partnership
Every EMP student is teamed up with an adult mentor (all college grads) who volunteers to work with him/her/them for up to 5 years of college. Available seven days a week, mentors help students understand the college environment, share experiences, offer emotional support – and provide guidance on academic & personal issues.
Students are required to speak with their mentors once a week about their education, but can connect more often. OHFF also sponsors fun outings for mentors & mentees at least once a year – such as Broadway plays, dinner or sporting events – to build on this special relationship.
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a mentor, please contact us.
Filling in the Gaps
The EMP offers financial support in the form of stipends. These funds are tailored to each student’s unique needs and help cover all the education expenses that academic scholarships and financial aid don’t cover.
• Everyday supplies – computers, software, clothing, mobile phones, public transportation, textbooks, spending money
• Materials specific to a student’s major – lab coats, drafting tables, dance shoes, etc.
• Specialized costs – private tutors, temporary housing, counseling, study abroad opportunities, career readiness training, internships
New Demands in the Face of a Pandemic
Remote learning has created new challenges for our students, who are learning to get ahead in a post-COVID economy. To ensure that they remain competitive in a quickly-changing job market, we have provided participants with increased access to mental health resources and necessary technology – high-speed Internet service, more sophisticated computers, cell phone data plans and more.
Of Home, Family & Future is a grantee of Reisenbach Philanthropies! OHFF is part of Reisenbach’s inaugural Accelerate Your Impact grantee cohort. Through this opportunity we will receive the funding, tools and resources needed to operationalize providing mental health support to all of our EMP students. Good mental health and higher education are inextricably linked, and we look forward to providing our students with the mental health support they need to achieve their educational and life goals.
