Our Story

Best Friends of Neenah-Menasha employs one-to-one mentoring to help at-risk kids thrive. We match children and teens, who need a little extra help to succeed, with caring mentors and have been improving our community for 46 years. Children need a set of basic connections to help them through the challenges faced as they grow. Supportive role models are essential to a happy and successful adulthood and many kids don’t have this guidance. Often, youth who are referred to us do not receive encouragement to complete their education and lack the knowledge and confidence to succeed. Kids who are lucky enough to have a mentor do better in school, are more equipped to resist negative peer pressure, become more physically active and feel more self-assured. We have an average of 65 children on the waiting list, ready to be matched, and the current wait time for a mentor is over three years. Our dream is to provide a mentor to every child who asks, within six months. With your help, we’ll get there.