“She thought she could beat me in racing and air hockey, and that did not work out so well,” Mike said laughing.
“I feel like I have some skills, but Mike is on another level,” Gorelick said.
For more than six months, Gorelick has been Mike’s mentor through the agency’s mentoring program. It’s part of the Be the FAM or Foster, Adopt, Mentor program. It provides additional support to teens who are at a higher risk of aging out of foster care.
Gorelick became a mentor because she wanted to find a way to give back to the community.
“I've got the time and the experience raising boys. And so, it seemed like a great way to spend some time, meet a cool kid, and be a good influence in someone else's life,” she said.
Mike has been in the program for the past five years. He said that Gorelick takes her time to explain things, instead of rushing and takes the time to get to know him as a person.
“She does a lot of things different than other mentors and social workers and people I live with, and that's what I like about her,” he said.
The program provides additional support for teens who are aging out of foster care. Mentors help them learn life skills, like budgeting, but also provide emotional support, and do fun activities like playing air hockey.
Gorelick not only sees herself as a mentor to Mike, but also a friend.
“I think when you get more comfortable with someone, you can just kind of be together and let what other thoughts you have come up. So, it's just kind of just another friend, for sure, for both of us,” she said.
Gorelick’s openness and always showing up for him has helped him trust her.
“I really don't open up that quickly to anyone. Honestly, all the social workers I've had took about a year or two for me to connect to them, but I think what helped me connect with her quicker was that she constantly kept coming back,” he said.
This is the goal of the program — to foster connections like Gorelick and Mike’s, said Myra Yeargan, one of the case workers in charge of the mentor program.
“But oftentimes that relationship becomes a lifelong relationship, and in fact, for some of these kiddos in care, it ends up being the closest thing to them for what it feels like to have a family,” Yeargan said.
Mentors are required to meet with their mentee at least three hours a month and they must commit to one year.
“We just have some fantastic kids that when you give them a chance and spend a few minutes getting to know them, they're funny,” Yeargan said.
As for Mike and Gorelick, they’re looking forward to their next competition.
