Marking the first anniversary of his USA Freedom Corps, President Bush today proposed $450 million to match men and women to mentor more than one million children over the next three years.

President Bush's proposal includes $150 million over the next three years, through HHS, to help more than 100,000 adolescent children of prisoners find an adult mentor. This represents $50 million in HHS' budget for fiscal year 2004, double the fiscal year 2003 president's budget request of $25 million for HHS' Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program. In addition, the proposal includes nearly $300 million through the Department of Education over the next three years to support the development, expansion and strengthening of mentoring programs targeted at disadvantaged middle school students.

"We all know that growing up through adolescence is tough enough. Add to that the burden of having a parent in jail and these kids are really hurting," Secretary Thompson said. "This down payment on compassion will help a million kids get some guidance, have positive role models and give them a fighting chance to succeed."

President Bush announced the $450 million three-year initiative during his State of the Union speech on Tuesday. "Government will support the training and recruiting of mentors; yet it is the men and women of America who will fill the need," President Bush said. "One mentor, one person can change a life forever."

Through the mentoring initiative, federal agencies will work with nonprofit, community, and faith-based organizations that train volunteer mentors and pair them with children in need. These programs will further the goals of the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Amendments of 2001 and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, which called for the expansion of services to strengthen families, including creating and expanding mentoring programs for children through networks of community organizations, including religious organizations.

Mentors may be volunteers through President Bush's USA Freedom Corps. Last year in his State of the Union address, President Bush called on all Americans to serve their neighbors and their nation and created the USA Freedom Corps. During that time, USA Freedom Corps has become a resource for volunteers and volunteer-serving organizations.

"I would like to congratulate USA Freedom Corps on its first anniversary," Secretary Thompson said. "At HHS we're proud of our commitment to empower Americans to volunteer service, including mentorship, and proud to be the home of the Medical Reserve Corps, a branch of the USA Freedom Corps."

USA Freedom Corps works with federally supported programs, businesses, educators and the volunteer sector to enlist millions of Americans in meaningful opportunities to serve their neighbors.

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