Understanding the need for young single mothers to have mentors, Candace Abel created Second Grace. The program matches "Graces" - the mothers - with "Sages" - trained advocates for the mothers. During the initial training period for the Sages, Abel was impressed by the background and passion of one of the volunteers, Deb Louie. She soon asked Louie to join the organization as program coordinator for Second Grace.

"I really identified with Candy's vision," said Louie, whose background includes 10 years working with Dauphin County Children and Youth and 13 years in mental health counseling. With Louie on board, Second Grace is looking for more mentors. The organization will hold information sessions from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12; from 9 to 11 a.m. or 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 15; and from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 22. The sessions will be held at Second Grace, 1610 Landis Road, Mount Joy.

Currently, Second Grace has a core group of six Sages. The goal is to match each of the young mothers one-on-one with a Sage, who will make a two-year commitment to work with the mother. "It takes about six to 10 hours a month to serve as a Sage," Louie stated. "The Sages can talk to the Graces on the phone, meet in person to do things, go to appointments with them or do whatever they need for support."

To prepare for the role as a mentor, the Sages receive 25 to 30 hours of training, covering everything from substance use and mental health concerns to cultural issues and confidentiality. Training will include both in-person and online aspects, and Sages will also attend monthly Sage Tune-up Education Engagement Readiness (STEER) meetings.

For their part, the Graces will work directly with their assigned Sage and will also participate in Grace Gatherings, social meetings for the mothers to learn about a variety of topics, including physical and mental health, nutrition and employment skills. "Our program has mentorship, education and employment components," noted Abel, adding that Graces have the opportunity to work at Girl Crush, a bath and body products company Abel started in 2017, among other job options.

Louie emphasized that anyone with a heart for service would make a good Sage, noting, "We're not looking for someone to be perfect. We're looking for someone to be present." Experts will be available to handle bigger issues if they arise during the mentorship program, and ongoing support will be offered to the Sages.

Abel said she's excited to see Second Grace take off now that Louie's been hired. "I keep asking the people who have signed up to wait, and I knew I needed to do something to get this going," she stated, noting that she began Second Grace in 2021. "Deb will start this engine up and get the train out of the station."

Along with the Sage program, Second Grace has a wide range of additional volunteer opportunities, including providing transportation for the Graces, performing clerical or office work, fundraising and social media/marketing. For more information on volunteering or the upcoming information sessions, visit https://secondgrace.org.