One of the first things that Mateo’s Friend, Pepe, noticed about him was how considerate he was around others. “He is really close with one of my other youth, and whenever they are together, Mateo always tries to understand how he feels and, if he’s feeling down, will try to cheer him up even before I can.”

“For eight-year-old Mateo, this is simply what it means to be a good friend. It means making a funny face to cheer him up, playing with him, saying ‘I’m sorry,’” he says.

Although Mateo makes friends very easily now and talks to everyone, it was a different story three years ago. “In kindergarten, Mateo was behind both academically and socially,” notes Pepe. At the time, tensions were high between his parents, and he needed more support in school.

Despite the turbulence in his life, with the support of a consistent professional mentor, Mateo has continued to build his confidence, learning how to advocate for himself and ask for what he needs.

Having the support of a Friend has strengthened his mother’s confidence, too, like when Mateo received testing for special education last year. “She used to be too nervous to go to his school and talk with teachers,” Pepe reflects. “This time, she felt supported to meet with teachers to find out more information about the testing and what it meant for her son, to advocate for him.”

They still face challenges such as debt and access to utilities like running water. Mateo and his mother have continued to show resilience and growth since he joined the program. “At the end of the day, the kids’ and families’ agency comes from within. Our role is to support and empower them,” says Pepe. For him, this is what it means to be a good Friend.

As Pepe thinks about the growth he has seen already, he observes, “Mateo is kind and funny. He loves art and solving math problems. We’re still learning a lot about each other, but it feels like it’s been forever.”