At the heart of the AFK mentorship program are stories. Stories of kindness, acceptance and inclusion. Of mentors, buddies and of their friendship—which has a lifetime impact.
Doug and Buddy
My experience in Athletes for Kids has been completely different than what I imagined it would be. Joining the program, I expected the meetings with my buddy would be something I checked off my list each week. However, after my first meeting with my buddy, my whole view of Athletes for Kids changed. Meeting with […]
Jonah and Buddy
Growth comes in many forms, mine came through my mentorship. My buddy is one of the most positive, genuine, and competitive people I have ever met. I mean he can make a game of pig feel like game 7 of the NBA finals. Every time I hang out with him, he always finds enjoyment in […]
Abhi and Buddy
I’ve loved spending these last few years with my buddy. He’s an incredibly talented, funny, and loving person who has been a joy to spend time with. I look forward to seeing his bright smile and eager recap of the week every time we meet. We’ve explored sports like tennis, football, and basketball, but our favorite […]
Owen and Buddy
The experiences I’ve had as a mentor with Athletes for Kids have been very impactful. The ability to build a genuine friendship with my buddy, and their family, is an aspect of mentoring I truly enjoy. While it did take time for our friendship to grow stronger, that process is something I came to value. […]
Gabe and Buddy
When I discovered Athletes for Kids during my junior year I immediately applied. My younger cousin was on the spectrum, and I knew the program would give me the opportunity to build the amazing friendship I had built with him, with someone new. After going through the interview process I was matched with my buddy, […]
Marcelo and Buddy
I joined Athletes for Kids right before my junior year and I have been meeting with my buddy well over a year now. I always look forward to our weekly visits at his house, where we usually play board games, walk/bike through his neighborhood or just talk about what is going on in our lives. […]
Kaylia and Buddy
I have been matched with my buddy for more than a year, and I have really enjoyed all the time we have spent together, making memories and building our friendship. I decided to be a mentor, because I value making connections with people and saw this as a chance to develop a special and meaningful […]
Ben and Buddy
I have been a part of Athletes for Kids since September of last year and meeting with my buddy is always one of the highlights of my week. Every week we play basketball – lots and lots of basketball. Rain or shine, I can always count on an intense game of hoops on the court […]
Noah and Buddy
Hanging out with my buddy is one of, if not my favorite part of my week. We love building Hot Wheels tracks as well as domino-placing cars and cool circuit kits. He especially loves going to swim and dive down to search for toys or climb on my shoulders as I run around the pool. […]
Spencer and Buddy
I have been matched with my buddy for over a year now. It’s been amazing to be able to see the growth in his social skills and abilities. My buddy is always eager to meet, has a smile on his face, and is willing to try new things. Going into the match I knew we […]