Pro Kinship for Kids is a non-profit organization established in 1988 which believes in and promotes the concept of youth mentoring. The main goal of Pro Kinship is to help a young person who has lost a parent for one reason or another, or needs help improving self esteem or help improving their socialization skills. We match children with carefully screened adult volunteers in an effort to develop a relationship of caring, acceptance and trust. The adult is to be a friend to the child and in that framework to encourage the child to develop into the best person he or she can become. Once a match has been made, volunteers spend 1-4 hours per week with the child doing whatever interests both the adult and the youth. Typical activities might include picnicking, attending sporting events, sharing interestes or going to the movies. These relationships often grow into life-long friendships. It is hoped that good citizenship, fair play, honesty, good self esteem, the ability to communicate acceptably and growth as an individual will be fostered by the relationship. We serve children in New Ulm, Sleepy Eye, Springfield, and the surrounding areas.

The quality of Kinship service and relationships is more important than the quantity. Our standards reflect the importance of careful screening, matching and follow-up support of program participants.

We support a grassroots approach to providing service. Building upon the strength of our local community is vital to the success of our organization.

Dedicated volunteers are essential to our operation. Kinship provides the structure and organization for us to effectively serve children.

Kinship staff and volunteers are qualified, motivated and committed to our mission.

We believe in inclusiveness and collaborative efforts which bring people together of different races and creeds.

Regular, long-term relationships with a variety of adults are critical to healthy child development.