VIP MENTORS NEWS

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VIP MENTORS NEEDS YOUR IMMEDIATE SUPPORT DURING THE STATE BUDGET CRISIS

LETTER WRITING AND DONATIONS SOUGHT TO KEEP OUR PROGRAMS
IN PLACE AND EFFECTIVE DURING THIS TIME.

 

We need your letter of support to go to the Director of the Secretary of the California Department of Corrections And Rehabilitation.

Click here for a sample letter you can copy and use.

Please make a secure online donation RIGHT NOW to support VIP Mentors work during the budget and funding crisis. Click on the icon below:

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What are other people saying about the critical importance of VIP Mentors at this time of budget shortfall? The following have written strong letters in support of VIP's continuing funding from the state:

Holly J. Fujie, President, State Bar of California
Hon. Stephen A. Marcus, Judge, Superior Court, County of Los Angeles
Hon. William K. Hamlin, Judge, Superior Court, Fresno County
Hon. Dale Ikeda, Judge, Superior Court, Fresno County
Hon. Arlan L. Harrell, Judge, Superior Court, Fresno County
Hon. James P. Gray, Judge, Superior Court, Orange County
Hon. David De Alba, Judge, Superior Court, Sacramento County
Hon. Gary E. Ransom, Judge (Ret.), Superior Court, Sacramento County
Steve Cooley, District Attorney, County of Los Angeles
Michael P. Judge, Public Defender, County of Los Angeles
Leroy D. Baca, Sheriff, County of Los Angeles
Paulino G. Duran, Public Defender, Office of the Public Defender, Sacramento County
Chad Carlock, Vice President, Yolo County Bar Association
...and others!

To read the letters in support of VIP Mentors penned by the above, please CLICK HERE to download/view the ADOBE PDF file.

 

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VIP Statistics

Between July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007, VIP proudly assisted a large and diverse group of parolees. Among the 231 men and 172 women with mentors, there were:

• African-Americans (26%)

• Asians (6%)

• Latinos (32%)

• Native Americans (2%)

• Caucasians (34%)

Nearly half of the participants were parents:

• 41% of the men

• 59% of the women

Commitment offenses involved:

• Violence against individuals (44%),

• Crimes against property (22%),

• Drugs (22%)

• Other (12%).
  

These mentorships represented a commitment to effective, long-term mentoring. Only 17 matches (4% of all matches during the year) were terminated because of parole violation or criminal behavior. In addition, 70% of the successful matches provided one year or more of crime-free progress on parole and promoted advancement towards educational, work and family goals.

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"There is someone I can turn to who will not judge me but will listen and offer suggestions. What has VIP done for me? It has given me hope." -- VIP Mentee

"Outside was a whole different world, different values, responsibilities. It was lonely…scary. I never felt like anyone really cared about me before." -- VIP Mentee

"Many thought my mentee was a lost cause; they weren't going to give him any more chances. All those people who didn't believe, he proved them wrong!" -- VIP Mentor

"Every lawyer gets back more than he or she gives."
-- James E. Herman, former president of the State Bar of California

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VIP Mentors Fresno thanks the Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable Foundation (Fresno, California) for its generous one-year grant (2007-2008) to VIP Mentors to fund TOPS ("Targeting Obstacles to Personal Success") Scholarships for VIP mentees, and to provide resources for social and educational group activities. We thank the Bertha and John Garabedian Charitable Foundation for supporting the VIP Mentors Fresno Program for over 10 years.

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