Three More Leadership Foundations Join Amachi

Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation’s Amachi program has set the stage for its counterparts as it moves into its second year of mentoring children of prisoners. Knoxville Leadership Foundation (KLF), Lexington Leadership Foundation (LLF) and One by One Leadership in Fresno began Amachi programs this fall, and they are thankful for the advice they received prior to implementation.

“It’s been really good to have folks who have taken steps in the direction that we’re trying to take and have gone there before us and can guide us and say, ‘Here are some things to consider,’ ” said Matthew Watson, director of the Mentor Center at One by One Leadership. Watson is especially thankful for advice he received from Amachi Pittsburgh early on that encouraged him to invite congregations to partner with Amachi Fresno prior to finalizing the program’s structure. “Something as subtle as that has proved to be very valuable to us because we see now that doing it the other way would have delayed some of our matches,” said Watson.

Although local Leadership Foundations have their individual styles, they agree that most Leadership Foundations of America have a similar value that they bring to Amachi programs nationwide. Leadership Foundations have the “capability of building coalitions because of existing relationships with other congregations and nonprofits,” said John Withers, CEO of LLF.

Watson and Stanley Taylor, director of Leadership Development for KLF agree. “The multisector approach that we’re able to bring to bear on this particular project has been welcomed by congregations, as well as the other nonprofits,” said Watson. “That’s been an asset that has been helpful for us, as we’ve wanted to secure support and momentum for the project.”

Unlike organizations that are tied to an institution and focus on a specific geography, KLF has developed the capacity to bridge the gap between organizations “and at the same time be committed to all of them and not just one or two of them,” said Taylor. “To bring unity around a common cause in the city is a unique role.”

Although Taylor is excited about the value KLF brings to Amachi, participating in the program has affected him personally as well. “Amachi is the first thing within the seven and a half years of me being within this organization of saying, ‘Wow, maybe this is what I’m here for,’ ” said Taylor. “Not by the grace of God, I could have been one of the Amachi kids, too, and I know that, and so I’m passionate about it as a result of that.”

The Amachi program resonates with the mission of Leadership Foundations, which is to unify people from all walks of life to renew communities, with a particular concern for the poor, the vulnerable and the marginalized. Many of the Leadership Foundations specifically have been interested in the Amachi program, as opposed to other mentoring children of prisoners (MCOP) programs, because of its organizational structure.

“It’s probably the cleanest model of true empowerment in the community,” said Taylor. “This is something that the churches can and should already be doing, and [Amachi] really is about a catalyst for them to be able to do it. It’s exciting!”

One by One Leadership also strongly believes in empowerment of churches. This belief is so strong that the organization has modified the Amachi model and asked churches to create a MCOP ministry within their congregations, rather than simply supplying volunteers to mentor a child for one hour, once a week, for one year.

“We want to give congregations the skills and tools that they need to continue on a mentoring ministry beyond the lifetime of this particular project,” said Watson. One by One Leadership believes this will give churches a “deeper level of ownership, and our hope is for it to be a deeper level of sustainability as well,” Watson added.

Winter 2004