Affinity Mentoring – Heroes Within Part I: Monica Zavala

As the New Year approaches and nature hibernates, space abounds for reflection. Ideally, what each of us will find are the true corners of our hearts that are the strongest and that shine the brightest.

Affinity Mentoring’s Site Coordinator, Monica, is an example of this light and we are so grateful for her!

As a new member of the Affinity Team, I’ve endeavored to get to know my coworkers in quest to truly know the heart of the organization, beginning with its staff. What inspires each individual to champion this work day after day? What life circumstances have they been through that connects them to the mission and vision of Affinity Mentoring? What current challenges do students, their families and surrounding communities face that breaks their hearts? What fuels them to fight for more?  

For Monica, Affinity’s Southwest Elementary School – Academia Bilingüe Site Coordinator, the opportunity to build relationships with the students and mentors propels her forward. With a background in family engagement, she approaches her work with the intelligence and wisdom of someone who knows the landscape well. 

You can tell the impact Monica’s experience has on the matches she brings together and oversees at her site. When students walk into her room for mentoring, their eyes light up with glee. The kind of joy that comes from feeling both safe and seen. 

Since joining the organization in 2018, Monica has nurtured matches that span across several years. She’s had the opportunity to witness how students come out of their protective shells and blossom into articulate, self-assured youth who aspire to be – and WILL be – next-generation leaders. 

The brilliance of Affinity Mentoring’s program is only as strong as its staff’s ability to overcome the changing dynamics both inside and outside the school system and Monica is no exception. 

She intimately knows the challenges families face, and the decisions that parents are torn between. There are times when attending a band concert conflicts with a work shift that puts food on their table at home. Monica sees how these impossible balancing acts really weigh on parents who deeply desire to show up for their kids. She reminds these parents, and us all, that we belong. We’re a part of something outside our nuclear family that will extend and support our nuclear family at the same time. 

It is powerful and life-changing work we’ve undertaken, and we are so grateful for staff like Monica who tirelessly champion the voice of her students and larger community. 

I’m often left wondering, who would I become if I had Monica in my life years ago? 

New Executive Director

Rocio Moreno

Affinity Mentoring began in 2001 under the Kid’s Hope model, a cause championed by Laura Ward in partnership with Mars Hill. Over the next decade-plus, Kid’s Hope did its best to address various needs in the 49507 area code, however that proximity began alerting the team to additional opportunities that would benefit the community. Thus began the transformation of Kid’s Hope into Affinity Mentoring, which became its own 501 (C)3 in 2016. 

The longstanding existence of this agency is no doubt in large part because of its relentless dedication to empowering youth and families – stakeholders in their communities at large – to reach not only their goals, but their dreams. 

Among the staff and leadership that has kept Affinity thriving during times of challenge and transition is our newly appointed Executive Director, Rocio Moreno. Rocio joined the organization in 2017 after graduating from Grand Valley State University with her Master’s degree in Social Work. 

“From the second I walked into the Burton location for the interview of the Mentor Center manager position, I connected with the heritage of spanish-speaking students and staff and my own experiences struggling with academic and emotional thriving. I am driven by faith and I believed it was my time to uplift those around me. I would consistently see the gratitude of the families I worked to empower. So many times I’d run into a family during a community event or at one of the schools and they would either hug me or thank me because they were so thankful for Affinity’s program.” 

Through its seasons of leadership, Affinity Mentoring has become a highly effective program that bolsters social emotional learning, academic skills, and leadership growth. It is an individualized and personal program tailored to each student and their particular needs. The organization uses different metrics to track the impact of the program including mentor, mentee, and community. Through these surveys Affinity is able to identify areas of growth, community needs, and the best way to invest its resources. Affinity listens to those who are most impacted by the work that we do. Across the board, these community connections showcase attendance rate increases, improvement in academics and a higher quality of life in general for all who participate. Some students have been in the mentoring program for 8 years and others who were once mentees have now become mentors themselves. Other mentors have gone on to adopt children as a result of their experience with their mentee or sharing their family’s holidays with the family of their mentee or mentor. 

Rocio also shares about the significance of the program and why it’s relevant to the Grand Rapids community as a whole–not just program participants. 

“We are constantly doing multi-generational work. Not just for the mentors and mentees, but for the families of both. We are rooted in the family structure, not simply in a student’s academic success. Part of this work includes the reduction of barriers that individuals face in pursuit of success, notably, our program participants as well as their kin. In her own words, Rocio strives to leave a mark on the legacy of what Affinity is and will become. She acknowledges the many that have come before her time who have done amazing work both within Affinity and the community. 

“Both the organization and those who have come before my time have a very special place in my heart. They are an inspiration of the mark that I would like to leave behind in an effort to support students’ social emotional learning, academic skills, and leadership growth”.

“The organization is fundamental to the community because we are building up our next generation. The students we’re serving will grow up to be our next City Commissioners, Teachers, Mentors, Executive Directors, etc. We are planting seeds of empowerment; seeds of belonging, and continuing to cultivate a brave space that amplifies the voices of young agents of change in a diverse and inclusive community. As a mother of two, I know the impact my children will have on the next generation and I see each mentee the same way.”


“As stakeholders in and around Grand Rapids, we need to understand we are not separate entities and that at the heart of our city is our youth. “If we consistently show simple acts of kindness, our children will grow up speaking life into their own generation, and those to come.” 

For those looking to get involved, there are several ways to join our work be it as a volunteer, mentor, donor, community partner or board member. We are always looking to diversify our program offerings based on the needs of our community. We’d love for you to join us on this important journey!

For more information, visit our website at www.affinitymentoring.org

Support Affinity Mentoring on Giving Tuesday!

What is #GivingTuesday?

#GivingTuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and collaboration. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving (U.S.) and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, #GivingTuesday kicks off the charitable gifting season when many people make holiday and year-end donations.

What is #GRgives on #GivingTuesday?

#GRgives on #GivingTuesday is a city-wide campaign to raise funds, find volunteers and build awareness for local nonprofits. Designed to create a movement around #GivingTuesday in Grand Rapids, #GRgives helps nonprofits band together — promoting one resource for all to share their donation and volunteer opportunities, and one place for our community members to find all the ways they can give.

The goal of #GRgives on #GivingTuesday is to celebrate generosity and encourage community members to donate time and money to one of the over 3,000 nonprofits here in Grand Rapids.

Did you know?

You don’t have to be a world leader or a billionaire to give back. #GRgives is about ordinary people coming together to do extraordinary things. In a study by YouGov, 38% of Millennials planned to participate in #GivingTuesday 2015 compared to 39% for Black Friday and 39% for Cyber Monday, showing Millennials were just as interested in giving as spending.

#GRgives celebrates generosity by providing people with an opportunity to give more, give smarter and give great. #GRgives on #GivingTuesday unites charities, corporations, small businesses, and individuals to show our community that we give as good as we get.

We THANK YOU for your continued investment in Affinity Mentoring! Click the link below to donate on this #GivingTuesday and help kick off our year-end campaign!

https://affinitymentoring.kindful.com/?campaign=1278869

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Affinity Mentoring: Keyla

Each year from September 15 to October 15 we observe Hispanic Heritage Month at Affinity Mentoring. Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the diverse and significant contributions of Hispanic and Latinx individuals and communities to the country’s history, culture, and society. This time provides an opportunity for our supporters from various backgrounds to learn about and appreciate the rich heritage, traditions, art, music, and achievements of Hispanic and Latinx Americans, and it serves as a platform for promoting cultural diversity and understanding within our community.

Over the next few weeks, Affinity will be highlighting stories from our staff, board, and mentors about what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them. We continue our series today by celebrating Keyla Araujo, Site Coordinator for Affinity Mentoring.

“I am from the Dominican Republic, I moved to the United States when I turned 7 years old. For me, it has always been important to remember and celebrate where I came from. I love my culture, the music, the food, and the people. I celebrate my culture alongside my husband and kids daily by speaking Spanish and sharing dishes typical of my homeland as well as enjoying our music, Merengue. During Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate the beautiful mosaic that is “La Comunidad Latina”. One thing we do around this time is gather at our church and celebrate the different countries that make up our congregation. We celebrate our uniqueness along with our similarities through the sampling of dishes from each country as well as dressing in our “Trajes Tipicos”. It’s a fun time where we share our heritage with the next generation, teaching them that our roots run deep and are nothing to be ashamed of but celebrated!”

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month at Affinity Mentoring: Yanitza

Each year from September 15 to October 15 we observe Hispanic Heritage Month at Affinity Mentoring. Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the diverse and significant contributions of Hispanic and Latinx individuals and communities to the country’s history, culture, and society. This time provides an opportunity for our supporters from various backgrounds to learn about and appreciate the rich heritage, traditions, art, music, and achievements of Hispanic and Latinx Americans, and it serves as a platform for promoting cultural diversity and understanding within our community.

Over the next few weeks, Affinity will be highlighting stories from our staff, board, and mentors about what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them. Kicking off the series is our very own Yanitza Valdez, Burton Site Coordinator.

“I am a proud Mexican and Puerto Rican individual. Hispanic Heritage Month for my family and myself is an ongoing celebration/lifestyle. We make sure to keep our culture alive by embracing our food, language/accent, and authenticity of our roots and backgrounds. This month is a reminder that there is beauty in every spice, music style, tradition, and language. I am honored to be a walking portrayal of who I am.”