Hero Story

Annette Donn, A Mentor Who Has and Continues to Have a Tremendous Impact

Mentors Plus, Oakland County Youth Assistance, 2013-present
Volunteer Hours: 547 hours

Annette mentors an at-risk youth on a weekly basis, providing her with creative, educational, and fun experiences. She also offers her mentee opportunities to reinforce and learn both social and academic skills and gives ongoing support as the mentee faces a variety of growing pains and life challenges.

Tasks Annette did, as well as mentoring directly, included maintaining an ongoing relationship with the mentee’s parent(s), writing monthly reports, attending training sessions for mentors, helping plan annual picnics, communicating with the Volunteer Coordinator whenever there were concerns regarding her mentee or the mentee’s family, and financing activities they did together. She did all these things very conscientiously.

Southfield Youth Assistance Board, 2014 – present
Volunteer Hours: 423 hours

Annette has served on the Southfield Youth Assistance Board in a variety of capacities. Some of the tasks this entails include taking minutes and distributing them, planning, organizing, and implementing events with Youth Assistance and many community partners, fundraising, distributing information, problem-solving, providing leadership, revising by-laws, recruitment of volunteers, and, in general, making sure that Youth Assistance prevention and intervention services were and continue to be offered efficiently and effectively in the community to youth and families.

Make-Wish-Michigan, 2013-2016
Volunteer Hours: 352

Annette also volunteered for Wish-a-Mile (a multiple-day annual bike ride) and Walk-for-Wishes (an annual Walk at the Detroit Zoo). She helped raise millions of dollars to grant wishes for young people suffering from life-threatening diseases. She assisted with registration, set up, support for bikers and walkers, general assistance where needed, and clean-up.

East Jordan Historical Society, Portside Art Fair (2014-2018)
Volunteer Hours: 30 Hours

Annette collected donations and counted attendees at an event that raises over $500 in funds for the Society annually.

Other Community Work, 2013-present

Annette has participated as a volunteer in other community activities that were shorter but still impactful, such as being a facilitator for Field Zone in Southfield, which had multiple sessions that taught kids about the importance of exercise and nutrition.

Annette Donn’s Impact on Individuals:

Annette has supported creating lasting change ever since she began mentoring in 2013 and continues to have a very positive effect on both the young people she has mentored and their families over the years. Her participation as a mentor in Mentors Plus is 100% voluntary. Our program’s mission is to provide assistance for at-risk youth that will strengthen families, as well as prevent and reduce delinquency, neglect, and abuse through community involvement. Our initiatives are supported by a unique partnership among the Circuit Court, local school districts, and local municipalities, and operates through the Oakland County Circuit Court – Family Division.

* Javionne--Annette’s first mentee--was 15 years old, still in middle school, struggling with academics, and a year behind when she was matched and began working with Annette in 2013. She was the only girl and the oldest child in her stepfamily, with three younger half-brothers. With the support of her mentor and a tutor, she began doing better in school and was able to graduate from Southfield A&T at the age of 19. From there, she enrolled in the Nursing Assistance program at Abcott Institute in Southfield in the fall of 2017. She completed the program and passed her certification testing. She continues to see Annette occasionally.

*Janessa, her current mentee, lives in a family with a single mother, five sisters, and a young niece and nephew. Because of this, it is tough for the girls to get much individual time with their mother. The week that Annette was matched with Janessa, she was having some trouble at school concerning bullying. Since then, her mom has not had a single call from the school about problems with peers, her grades have continued to improve, she’s helping more with chores and her siblings, and she’s taking better care of herself. Janessa’s mom feels both the physical and mental growth she has seen in her since she started being mentored is incredible. She says that when Janessa is in a bad mood, she simply mentions Annette’s name and Janessa reconsiders her choices more carefully and does better. She has also gotten her to open up more and share her feelings. This was particularly important when her mom had cancer and had to deal with medical treatments, as well as her large family.

Annette herself has noticed the changes in Janessa’s behavior in many ways. She seems to get along better with her siblings and welcomes the opportunities Annette gives her to let a few of her sisters accompany them when they go special places, such as the Makers Fair or Halloween Celebration at Henry Ford Museum/ Greenfield Village or to A Christmas Carol at Meadowbrook Theatre. Janessa is also helping more at home and being encouraged successfully to keep her grades up well.

One example of Annette’s frequent commitment to do over and above what is required of her as a mentor involved Janessa’s older sister, E'Licia. E'Licia formerly had a mentor who moved out of the state to take a better job. While she was without a mentor, a daylong conference for youngsters her age was offered at the Southfield Recreation Center on Entrepreneurship. She and Annette attended, learned a lot of new information, and built a stronger relationship with each other.

Annette continues to encourage lasting change in her mentee, Janessa, and her siblings as she exposes them to many experiences that they would not have had the opportunity to have if it weren’t for her. Creativity is clear when Annette chooses her monthly activities. They have done many fun and educational outings, such as exploring the Detroit Zoo Boo, the Makers Faire at the Henry Ford Museum, and the Cranbrook Institute of Science, visiting Yates Apple Orchard, making exercise fun on the Detroit River Walk, and by doing community service at Gleaners Food Bank. Annette both models and talks about the importance of community service.

As Annette has done the community work that I’ll mention next, she spreads the word about what the Mentors Plus Program does and our need for more mentors. Just recently she helped us identify a new mentor for a youngster, who’s mentor had left the state. She inspires many who have a chance to spend time with her to better understand gaps in human services and to encourage them to volunteer. She participates regularly in our educational Mentors Meetings held quarterly and has consistently participated in planning for our Annual Mentors Plus Picnic.

Annette Donn’s Impact on Organizations and Communities:

Annette has played a critical role on the Southfield Youth Assistance Board since 2014. Paula Johnson, the current YA Caseworker, states that Annette is a true asset to their organization. You seldom find someone to work one-on-one with you, participate in group activities, work with parents, record minutes precisely, and use their humor to brighten a dark path when things are not progressing as planned. She often can see things from a different perspective, even when they seem insurmountable, and sometimes, she even brings her husband along for additional support.

As Patricia Wiley, the Board Vice-Chair says, “I have found Annette to be on the top of my list in terms of responsiveness, commitment, and engagement with youth and families.” Annette devoted 123 hours of time to Southfield Youth Assistance Board activities, just in the year, 2018-19. She helped organize and implement nine community events that year, many done in partnership with others in the community:

Bully Prevention Program (3 Sessions)
o SYA sponsored, Inform Yourself Youth Development facilitated, and hosted by HobbyTown Southfield
STEAM My Mind Series (4-Sessions)
o SYA sponsored, Inform Yourself Youth Development facilitated, and hosted by Stevenson Elementary
Advanced Minds Pursuing Success (3-Sessions)
o SYA sponsored, Inform Yourself Youth Development facilitated, and hosted by Southfield Parks & Recreation
Southfield Public School’s “Build a Better Future Event” (1-Session)
o Hosted by Southfield Public Schools
Southfield Public Schools Back to School Fair (1-Session)
o Hosted by Southfield Public Schools
Backyard Anti-Bullying Paint Party (2-Sessions)
o SYA sponsored, Inform Yourself Youth Development Company facilitated & hosted
Fit for Life Healthy Youth Healthy Life (4-Sessions)
o SYA sponsored, facilitated by Tina Poole and hosted by the Field Zone
Youth Recognition Ceremony (1- Session)
o SYA sponsored, Board facilitated and hosted by Lathrup Village Community Center
Youth Summer Tennis Camp (2-Sessions)
o Hosted and facilitated by Inform Yourself Youth Development Company

Among the attributes that make Annette’s service unique to the community are:

• Her dedication to the well-being of kids and the large amount volunteer hours,
• Her great knowledge of how to connect, respect, and work well with others of all ages and cultures
• Her ability to creatively plan and organize a wide variety of events
• The tenacity to use her high energy level to bring teams together to get things done.

The Youth Assistance Caseworker in her area says, “Annette is a shining star in my book and even as she was taking the steps to triumph over a personal loss (her mother’s death), she took the time to thank the Board for their compassion for her and her family. Annette is one of a kind and I truly call her a friend. It is a bonus when you can find a colleague who you know has your back, shares a strong commitment to her position on the Board, and is willing to work on all fronts to fulfill the reason for our work “to strengthen youth and families;” while simultaneously strengthening me.”

The Vice-Chairperson of the Southfield Youth Assistance Board points out, “Working with a small Board of Directors, the planning and execution of events and activities requires each of our roles to be fluid. Annette possesses a flow that allows her to work efficiently when challenges present themselves, tasks change, or levels of commitment increase. Annette approaches each assignment with a 'what do you need me to do' question and a 'let’s get this done' attitude.”

Janessa's mother, Catherine says each month in her Mentors Plus Reports how important Annette is for their family. Annette not only sees Janessa on a weekly basis, but often calls in advance to ask if some of her other daughters can join them to attend special events. Catherine says, “The growth that I have seen has been incredible – both emotionally and physically. I am very grateful to have her in our lives. She is awesome.”

Annette has also continued to stay actively in touch with her Mentee throughout Covid19, even though program rules did not allow face-to-face contact. She has been in touch virtually, dropped off small gifts, mailed her cards, stayed in touch with her mother. Annette has also continued to be on the Southfield Youth Assistance Board and helped with planning and implementing their outdoor events.