It was a cool August Thursday morning for the Mayor’s Breakfast, held on the grounds of the historic Ambassador House, benefiting the Youth Mentoring Initiative (YMI), an organization matching local volunteers with HSE School District students in need of mentors.

The crowd was large and enthusiasm for YMI was at a high level for the annual fundraising effort.  Everyone persevered through a coffee shortage, even though twice as much coffee was ordered this year compared to the 2018 event.

Indiana State Health Commissioner Kristina Box was on hand, speaking of the challenges many young people face throughout our state.  She also presented Fishers Mayor Scott Fadnesss with a certificate from a national organization, recognizing his work promoting mentoring programs.

Mayor Fadness told the breakfast crowd about the YMI graduation ceremony he recently attended.

“It was extraordinary to see how proud the mentors were of these kids,” said the mayor.  “It was a nice, quaint celebration.  But for some of those kids, and I’m reading between the lines here, it was probably the most anyone’s ever celebrated in their lives about a particular accomplishment.  It wasn’t necessarily coming form their mom or dad, it was coming from someone in their community that just invested in them.”

Fadness praised the work of the local schools in the mental health area, and how that has been a part of the city’s efforts to improve mental health, using programs aimed at preventing problems.  He described YMI as a key preventative program.

YMI Board President (and Fishers Fire Chief) Steve Orusa made the pitch for donations to YMI.  You can donate now using this link.

YMI is always in need of adult mentors.  Executive Director Alison Gatz says there is a particular need for men mentors, with several male students waiting in line for a mentor.  If you would like to volunteer as a mentor, use this link.

Here are more photos from the Mayor’s Breakfast: