By Marlis McAllister

Partners For New Generations (PNG), a mentoring program founded in 1997 as a Los Altos Rotary project to match adult volunteers with organizations serving area youth, is seeking additional funding.

PNG asks the community to join their traditional sponsors in funding their important programs. Its mission is to inform, support and encourage volunteers to help meet the educational, physical and social needs of youth in the community through mentoring and tutoring.

Many students in the Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District struggle with family problems such as dysfunction, depression and poor finances. As a result of these and other issues, nearly 25 percent of the local student population has a grade average in the C+ to D+ range. The mentors work with the students to build self-esteem, improve attendance and reduce behavioral referrals.

The mentor program supports 120 mentor/student pairs at Los Altos, Mountain View and Alta Vista high schools. PNG also recruits tutors to assist students in the Mountain View and Los Altos elementary, junior high and high schools and provides volunteers for the Early Literacy and Child Advocates programs.

Volunteers perform PNG’s recruiting, fund-raising and administrative functions (funded by Los Altos and Mountain View Rotary clubs).

For the next school year, PNG anticipates receiving funds from Rambus, the Peninsula Community Foundation and the MVLA High School District, which also provides significant support. More funding is needed for the program to continue.

For more information, call 949-0828, ext. 4, or visit partners@losaltosrotary.org.