Impact

Ladies of Virtue is designated as a Gold Star Mentoring Program by Mentor Illinois. 

 

The Gold Star Mentoring Program Award is awarded by Mentor Illinois  to Illinois-based mentoring programs that meet or exceed "best practices across six program areas, as established by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, in cooperation with the nation’s foremost authorities on mentoring."  Learn more about Mentor Illinois here.

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Mentor Illinois recognizes programs that offer the best outcomes for mentors and mentees, and we are proud to be recognized for our commitment to excellence in mentoring.  There are over 400 mentoring programs in the state of IL and only 15% have the Gold Star Mentoring Designation.

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Reasons to Believe​

• For more than 13 years, we’ve led the charge in empowering Black girls in some of Chicago’s most underserved communities to become confident leaders through character development, career readiness, and civic engagement.

• We are the only organization offering a unique community-based model that integrates culture, one-on-one and group mentoring, leadership development, and mental health support specifically for the needs of Black girls. 

• Our impact extends beyond their high-school graduation. We make sure our alumni receive six additional years of support and mentorship to further their development and success.

• In, 2024 94% of our girls have been accepted into 4-year colleges and universities and 92% of them were placed in summer internships in comparison to 14% of African American teens ages 16-19 have been employed compared to 29% of their white counterparts.

• Also, our impact extends to their entire families. We understand the needs of our parents and support them by providing mental health programming and resources that bridge the gap between them and their girls.

• Because of our efforts, we’ve been recognized by The Obama Foundation, The University of Chicago, The Chicago Innovation Awards, and many others.