(Rockford) -- Patriot's Gateway Community Center has been awarded a $240,000 Mentoring Children of Prisoners Grant from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Administration on Children, Youth and Families.

The Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program will provide mentoring services to children of incarcerated parents to help reduce the harmful effects of having an incarcerated parent.  The program is designed to provide community based one-on-one mentoring 100 children, (ages 4-18) of prisoners over a time span of 3 years.  Mentors must be 18 years or older.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, or if you would like to refer a child for mentoring, call Dorothy Felton, Program Coordinator, at 815-967-0413.

Watch and extended interview with Dorothy Felton by clicking the video player.