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.
Ethan K and Buddy
“Joining the Athletes for Kids program has exponentially increased my character development through the last three years of my life and all that has to be because of the relationship I have built with my buddy. I’ve had the privilege to literally watch my buddy grow before my eyes and the memories we have made […]
Ethan and Buddy
“I couldn’t help but feel a little nervous the first time I met my buddy. These feelings were quickly washed away when I saw his smile. Now, when I get to his house, he greets me with his hands in the air and a wide smile. While he may need an occasional reminder to say […]
Rylan and Buddy
This past year and a half have been an incredible experience. I cherish every moment I get to spend with my buddy whether we are outside, inside, or on Zoom learning about each other. Seeing his growth as a person inspires me to do better. The gratitude and appreciation that he shows every day gives […]
David and Buddy
It is crazy to me how I have been matched with my buddy for almost two years, the time flew by so fast. I came into this mentorship thinking I was going to help my buddy grow, but instead it has been him teaching me! What started with a giant smile on a Zoom screen […]
Chat and Buddy
I have been matched with my buddy for nearly a year now and I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have fun hanging out with him. His energy and excitement every time we meet, continues to amaze me. Although, we have had a lot of fun going to the pool or watching a movie, our […]
Hunter and Buddy
I have been matched with my buddy for almost three years now. As much of an impact I have had on him, he has had just as great an impact on me. We always enjoy walking to parks and playing there. The way my buddy meets me at the door always makes my day. He […]
Jack and Buddy
My mentorship with my buddy has been amazing. We got matched before quarantine, so we were able to hang out before everything got shut down. At the start we had to do some FaceTime calls but then we started being able to hang out in person. From then on, it’s been great! We started to […]
Kate and Buddy
My mentorship has been atypical, but it has been amazing. I was matched with my buddy during the pandemic, so our first meetings were always over Facetime. After some time, I was able to safely see her in her backyard every Saturday. A couple of months later my buddy and her family moved to the […]
Morgan and Buddy
“I am very grateful for my buddy and our friendship. I always look forward to spending time with her and trying new things together. Some activities that we enjoy include baking, walking my dog, doing art projects, and listening to music. It has been amazing to watch her grow as a person. Mentoring has taught […]
Sophie and Buddy
“Each week I look forward to spending time with my buddy. Although we could only see each other through a screen during COVID our relationship continued to grow. Now that we are able to see each other in person again we enjoy spending time outdoors biking, bouncing on the trampoline, and walking to the lake. […]