For our November LinkUP! (mentor/mentee gatherings) this year, we hosted a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner. It was it encouraging to see how local businesses generously partnered with us by providing a large space to host, a delicious Thanksgiving meal and gifts for each mentee.  For many, this was the only time they would experience a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. 

Before the meal, we asked each person present to go around the circle and share something they are thankful for. It was humbling to hear how many expressed gratitude specifically for Allies. During dessert, one mentor, who is a survivor herself, courageously shared with the group about how practicing gratitude has helped her heal. You could visibly see girls light up to hear from her and connect with someone else’s experience. The mentees were given gratitude journals and spent time making a list of things they are grateful for.

On the way home, when this mentor asked her mentee (who is new to the program) if she had fun, her mentee replied, “ Yes! My favorite part was meeting new people and realizing I’m not alone.”