Empowering Children through Mentorship
The AFK Youth Mentoring program builds supportive relationships between children with special needs and high school athletes who are dedicated to being kind, supportive friends and making a difference in their lives.
Children in the 1st to 11th grades who have physical, emotional, or sensory disabilities or unique circumstances are eligible to apply to be matched with an AFK mentor. Through weekly one-on-one time, a mentor can help your child build confidence, improve social skills, and experience a genuine friendship with a lifelong impact.
AFK spends approximately $1,200 to support each mentorship per year. We ask all mentee families for a nominal mentorship fee of $240/year*, beginning once their child has been matched. Scholarships are available for low-income households.
Where We Serve
Mentee families must live within 10 miles of any of our AFK chapter high schools in the Eastside Seattle area to be eligible to apply.
Our Matching Process
Application & Paperwork
Submit an application and complete our emailed paperwork, followed by a buddy bio for your child
Intake Call
After we receive your paperwork, schedule an intake call with our Mentorship Coordinator
Review Mentor Bios
We will send you up to three mentor bios to review, and allow you to meet with a potential mentor
Match Finalization
After your child and the mentor have met twice and feel comfortable with the match, it will be finalized
Real, Lasting Impact
Our mentee "buddies" benefit in numerous ways from the AFK program. For AFK buddies, a mentor provides friendship, encouragement, and a dependable presence in their lives, while fostering confidence to try new things and positively shaping who they become. Having someone in their corner whom they can talk with and look up to can be invaluable.
of buddies showed improvement in friendship, happiness, social skills, and/or confidence
of 2025 buddy parents stated that they would recommend the AFK program to others
of 2025 buddy parents reported improvement in their child's mental health
Hear directly from
families how AFK
makes a difference
Hear directly from families how AFK makes a difference
The AFK program has been a gift for our son. Having a consistent mentor who shows up, listens, and truly cares has helped him grow in confidence and feel more secure socially.
My daughter's mentor is a delightful addition to our lives. My daughter jumps for joy when she comes over. She has helped my daughter explore a little outside of her comfort zone in a gentle, caring way.
"Our AFK experience has been nothing short of incredible, and we couldn’t be more thankful for the gift of friendship and inclusion that it’s brought into our son’s world."
"My son's mentor has been wonderful. Words cannot describe how happy my son is to spend time with him. He is mature, kind, fun-loving, reliable, and does so well with my son's unique interests."
Safety Is Our Priority
We carefully screen and accept only highly qualified mentor applicants. All mentors complete a background check, interview, and four-hour training session. Once training is complete, the mentor is able to be matched with a child. Mentors continue to receive support and ongoing training at their monthly chapter meetings.
Our high school mentors have a great opportunity to model the AFK values of Acceptance, Friendship, and Kindness. They are responsible, committed, and have a passion not only for succeeding in school and sports but also for building trusting, supportive relationships with their buddies.
Frequently Asked Questions
We are always looking for new buddies to join our program! If your child could benefit from spending time with a positive role model, click the button below to request a mentor.