Mentors and mentees in the SMILES (Southcoast Mentoring Initiative for Learning, Education and Service) mentoring program (a program of People, Incorporated) gathered at People, Inc. headquarters on South Main Street on January 17, 2013 to celebrate National Mentoring Month. The program brought together people involved with SMILES, Big Friends Little Friends of the Family Service Association, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater New Bedford to share stories, hopes, achievements and pizza. “I’m really happy with the turnout tonight,” SMILES Director Heidi Bedard was quoted as saying in the Herald News article the next day. “I’m hoping that seeing this will help spread the word in the SouthCoast of the definitive need of positive role models in our communities.” The event brought more than fifty people together including many mentor-mentee pairs and veteran mentors like the City's Youth Services Coordinator Christian McCloskey who has been mentoring for several decades. Anyone interested in learning more about SMILES should go to the website or contact contact Pamela O’Neil, vice president of communications and administration, at 774-627-2404.

(Top row) Attendees listen as mentor Bob Mandeville of the New Bedford court system describes his relationship with his mentee, Shane. (Row two, right) Mentor Mike Vieira talks with People, Incorporated CFO Bill Perkins. (Row three, left)  Katje Fuson, SMILES mentor and Director of Community, Child and Family Program Services, People, Incorporated, chats with mentee Jason Sousa and Fall River Youth Services Coordinator Christian McCloskey. (Row three, right) New Bedford Director of Community Institutional Relations Kristine Arsenault chats with Deanna Bodeau and Whitney Silva of New Bedford Child and Family Services. (Bottom row, left and right) Mentor Mary O'Neil of the District Attorney's Office talks about her relationship with her mentee, fourth-grader, Tay-lyn. (Bottom row, center) Mayor William Flanagan presents a proclamation for National Mentoring Month to People, Incorporated's Vice President of Community, Child and Family Services Jenny Diblasi.