ISSAQUAH, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–This week, the state’s leading organization for supporting and improving the quality and reach of mentoring services unveils its new name – Mentoring Works Washington. The new name and brand identity emphasize the non-profit’s growing role as the principal advocate for youth mentoring throughout Washington. This responsibility is in addition to providing targeted creative, financial and training resources to, and developing best practices and growing capacity for, mentoring groups around the state, as well as helping match the thousands of children seeking mentors with the appropriate services.

“Mentoring Works Washington provides expertise and a big-picture viewpoint to the benefit of the many, many kids who seek mentors.”

Mentoring Works Washington currently serves 34,000 K-12 children through 180 community-mentoring organizations. The non-profit’s 10-year effort has benefited youth, as well as Washington communities, by establishing best practices that lead to improved academic performance and emotional well-being among young people, and by heightening their awareness of the importance of good citizenry, as well as the harmful impact of drugs and alcohol.

Mentoring Works Washington is increasing its role as the state’s primary advocate for expanding, funding and improving mentoring services. As accentuated in the new logo and brand identity, both developed by jimwalkerseattle, Mentoring Works Washington will lobby state and local governments, businesses and concerned individuals to actively assist in efforts to meet the needs of the more than 200,000 children and adolescents in Washington state who could benefit from a mentor but don’t currently have one.

“For young people without adult role models who are consistently available to provide guidance, mentoring is absolutely critical,” said Brad Owen, chair of the Mentoring Works Washington Board and Lieutenant Governor of Washington. “Mentoring Works Washington provides expertise and a big-picture viewpoint to the benefit of the many, many kids who seek mentors.”

At the first annual 2015 Hoops for Hope tournament, Mentoring Works Washington’s highest-profile fundraising event held August 28 and 29 on South Seattle Community College’s Georgetown Campus, a new community-service award will be given out. The inaugural Jim Marsh Award, honoring an individual exhibiting exceptional Attitude, Athleticism and Achievement, will be presented to a young person who embodies the important qualities that Jim Marsh stands for on and off the court.

About Mentoring Works Washington

Mentoring Works Washington is an umbrella organization for the state’s mentoring community. By providing capacity-building support in areas such as training and technical assistance, data collection and tracking, public awareness and public policy, Mentoring Works Washington helps increase the number of children served through mentoring and helps improve the quality of mentoring provided. Mentoring Works Washington is a public/private partnership between Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services and Costco Wholesale. Lt. Governor Brad Owen is founding chair of the Mentoring Works Washington board of directors. For more information on Mentoring Works Washington, please visit www.mentoringworkswa.org or call 866-316-8190.