Virtual Mentoring

Brooke and Alisia were two of the first participants in One by One’s virtual mentoring program. They knew each other when they both lived in Memphis but then went separate ways: Brooke to Mississippi and Alisia to Minnesota. When Brooke found out Alisia was pregnant, she suggested they enroll in One by One’s virtual pilot program.

Brooke and Alisia recently completed OBO’s Year 1 program, and Alisia is considering enrolling in the Year 2 program. Brooke says the hardest part about mentoring a mom virtually is basically the hardest part about mentoring period – finding a time to get together. Brooke says she and Alisia had to be intentional to schedule a time to meet virtually each month as they couldn’t just plan to “grab coffee.”

Brooke went above and beyond to help Alisia with resource assistance. She researched organizations in Minnesota to help her with diapers, formula, and transportation. Brooke talked with Joyel at our OBO office about helping Alisia find community in her new hometown. Joyel suggested Brooke call a church near Alisia’s home, so she did. She introduced herself to the pastor and told him about One by One and how she was serving a single mom nearby. Brooke was able to connect Alisia to the pastor’s wife so Alisia had a contact at the church when she visited.

Overall, Brooke believes the virtual match was a success. She says her biggest regret is that she was not able to meet Alisia’s son in person. Alisia is hoping to visit family in Memphis soon, and Brooke hopes to meet him then.

We’re so thankful to Brooke and our five other virtual mentors who participated in our pilot program in 2022. Their feedback helped us adjust our program where needed to that virtual moms and mentors feel just as supported as our in-person moms and mentors do.