Caro and Esse have been matched since January of 2015 through T.E.A.M. (Together Engaging Adolescents through Mentoring), a program of Catholic Charities, Archdiocese of Boston.
Esse is 12-year-old girl living in South Boston. She originally joined the program because many of her friends were in T.E.A.M. and told her that it was a lot of fun.
Caro is a young professional living in Somerville. She became a mentor because she wanted to give back. When the pair first met, both were very excited. Caro was impressed by “how much spirit” Esse had. Esse knew, right from the start, that Caro “would be awesome.”
Even with this happy beginning, the match has far surpassed their expectations. At their one year match anniversary, both rated their relationship as a 10 out of 10. Esse has had the opportunity to have countless new experiences over the past year, such as visiting museums, learning about different careers, and trying various new and exotic foods such as seaweed salad – things she never would have learned about without a mentor like Caro. Caro has similarly gotten a lot out of their relationship and feels like she can talk to Esse like a friend.
Over the past year, Caro and Esse have grown incredibly close to one another. Caro told staff that she feels as though she has gained a new family member in Esse. When Caro began planning her wedding, she knew that Esse needed to be a part of it. She and Esse were exited to announce to T.E.A.M. staff that Caro has invited Esse to attend and even sing a song at her upcoming nuptial. Esse feels both honored and nervous to do so, and so they have begun to work on a public speaking goal together to get Esse ready for her performance.
The match are excited to begin another year together. Even after the wedding, they are looking forward to growing together and continuing to challenge themselves with new activities. As Caro reflected to staff, it’s been an “awesome experience” for both of them and they cannot wait for another year.
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