About Us
In 2007, New Jersey Senior Corps Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) decided to adopt an Amachi-based statewide initiative for one-to-one mentoring for children of incarcerated parents. The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) has supported Amachi nationwide since July 2002 when it assigned 40 part-time AmeriCorps members to serve as Congressional Volunteer Coordinators for the Amachi Philadelphia program. In November 2003, the Corporation alloted 55 full-time member slots to support the national expansion of Amachi. There are AmeriCorps VISTA members assigned to Amachi programs in 17 cities across the country. In New Jersey there are currently 7 AmeriCorps VISTA members and 1 VISTA Leader coordinating the Amachi-Break the Cycle program in 12 NJ counties.
In 2010 the Amachi-Break the Cycle program of Middlesex county signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen. Together we identify children who are in need of our services and recuit the mentors who will work with them. We recruit mentors from the surrounding community to participate in community-based mentoring. Mentors and mentees spend time together participating in events in the area as well as bonding over hobbies and shared interests.
These mentoring relationships are especially valuable for the children of incarcerated parents because they face higher statistical risk of being involved in the criminal justice system. It is our hope that with the added positive influence of a caring adult mentor, these children will be able to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration. Amachi-Break the Cycle seeks to link children (5-17) of incarcerated parents with adult mentors (18+) who are willing to meet and be a friend to a child for a minimum of 1 hour a week for at least 18 months.
Mentors who are aged 55+ are eligible to be enrolled as RSVP members. Caring men and women who volunteer to be mentors are carefully screened by Catholic Charities prior to being matched. These mentors will help children of incarcerated parents within their communities to help build trust, self-esteem, better school attendance, and study habits simply by being a good friend to these "children of promise."
In 2010 the Amachi-Break the Cycle program of Middlesex county signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Catholic Charities Diocese of Metuchen. Together we identify children who are in need of our services and recuit the mentors who will work with them. We recruit mentors from the surrounding community to participate in community-based mentoring. Mentors and mentees spend time together participating in events in the area as well as bonding over hobbies and shared interests.
These mentoring relationships are especially valuable for the children of incarcerated parents because they face higher statistical risk of being involved in the criminal justice system. It is our hope that with the added positive influence of a caring adult mentor, these children will be able to break the cycle of intergenerational incarceration. Amachi-Break the Cycle seeks to link children (5-17) of incarcerated parents with adult mentors (18+) who are willing to meet and be a friend to a child for a minimum of 1 hour a week for at least 18 months.
Mentors who are aged 55+ are eligible to be enrolled as RSVP members. Caring men and women who volunteer to be mentors are carefully screened by Catholic Charities prior to being matched. These mentors will help children of incarcerated parents within their communities to help build trust, self-esteem, better school attendance, and study habits simply by being a good friend to these "children of promise."
