Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) introduced a bipartisan resolution recognizing January 2025 as “National Mentoring Month” to celebrate the positive influence mentors can have on children and young adults. Whitehouse and Mullin are joined by 24 bipartisan cosponsors.
“Mentors can make all the difference in the life of a young person,” said Whitehouse. “Our bipartisan resolution celebrates the stability and guidance mentors provide to the next generation.”
“It’s my honor to join this bipartisan resolution recognizing National Mentoring Month,” said Mullin. “Having a mentor can be a wonderful source of professional guidance and moral support, especially for children and young adults as they set goals for the future. I’m glad to celebrate the important role mentors are having in Oklahoma and across the nation.”
The resolution recognizes the benefits of mentoring, including fostering life skills in young adults. According to MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, young people with a mentor are:
- 52 percent less likely to skip a day of school;
- 55 percent more likely to be enrolled in college;
- 92 percent more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities; and
- 75 percent more likely to hold a leadership position in a club or sports team.
“Mentors play a powerful role in the lives of our nation’s young people, helping to guide and inspire young people from all across the country. They are role models and everyday citizens who seek to inspire a new generation to dream and achieve big things,” said Jermaine Myrie, CEO of MENTOR. “Mentors are caring neighbors serving as community leaders, advocates, and change agents, believing in the possibilities that young people possess. Mentors remind us of the power of our collective greater good when we come together to give back and uplift.”
“The celebration of National Mentoring Month is an important opportunity to put a spotlight on the critical need for mentoring so youth have the opportunity to realize their potential and not only survive, but thrive,” said Jeanine Achin, President of MENTOR Rhode Island. “MENTOR Rhode Island is proud to be represented in the United States Senate by Senator Whitehouse, someone who ardently supports mentoring and has once again sponsored The National Mentoring Month Resolution.”
“At Tides Family Services, we have witnessed firsthand the lasting and transformative power of mentorship in shaping the lives of young,” said Beth Lemme-Bixby, Chief Executive Officer of Tides Family Services. “Through their guidance, our dedicated teams plant seeds of support and inspiration that take root over time, helping youth to overcome challenges and reach their full potential. We are grateful for the recognition of their invaluable contributions and the lasting impact they make on the lives of young people, families, and the broader community.”
“A mentor is someone who is there for a youth during times of struggle and celebration. Becoming a mentor can be transformational for the mentor and mentee,” said Darlene Allen, CEO and Executive Director of Adoption Rhode Island. “Mentors truly make a difference.”
The resolution underscores the mentoring gap that exists in the United States, where only one in three young people grow up with a mentor, and highlights the need for more adults to invest their time in the success of young adults.
Whitehouse is a long-time supporter of mentorship programs and secured an $800,000 earmark for MENTOR Rhode Island in 2023. Whitehouse has led similar resolutions in the 114th, 115th, 116th, 117th and 118th sessions of Congress.
The 2025 National Mentoring Month resolution is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), Katie Britt (R-AL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), James Lankford (R-OK), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).
The full text of the resolution can be found here.
