Connecting Generations, a nonprofit mentoring and youth development organization, will celebrate 25 years of empowering Delaware youth on Saturday, October 29 at the Delaware Museum of Natural History.
Guests will have the opportunity to learn more about the successes of Connecting Generations, contribute to the vision of the organization, and hear the stories of two members of the board: Jane Maroney and Jim Patton.
Founded in 1990 by Robert A. Kasey Jr., a retired DuPont executive, Connecting Generations partners with schools and educational programs to help children overcome adversity and develop strong social-emotional skills.
Through its Creative Mentoring and Seasons of Respect programs, Connecting Generations helps over 5,000 students each year in underserved communities. Over 1,700 volunteer mentors serve in 85 programs throughout the state, improving the behavior, attendance, and engagement of the students they work with. In addition to one-to-one mentoring,
Connecting Generations creates and delivers classroom workshops and peer mentoring programs that teach at-risk children how to build strong relationships, prevent bullying, and manage emotions.
“Connecting Generations has been serving at-risk youth in Delaware for 25 years, and we’re very proud of the work we do,” said Brian Gaerity, executive director. “But the world is changing, and we need to evolve to meet increasing demands for our services and find more efficient ways to serve the community. With this in mind, we embarked on a journey to define our mission and aspirations for the future. We have collaborated extensively with our stakeholders to express and align around our vision, and we are very excited by the possibilities. We are now looking for partners interested in working toward that vision.”
Connecting Generations has a short-term goal of raising $100,000. The organization was recently awarded a Longwood Foundation grant.
In addition to celebrating its success and reaching its fundraising goal, Connecting Generations will recognize the contributions of Jane Maroney and Jim Patton, who joined the organization early on and used their experience and skills in organizational effectiveness and child advocacy to help build a strong foundation for Connecting Generations to continue to grow, a release stated.
“Jane and Jim have been the heart and soul of Connecting Generations for over two decades,” said Marie Dugan, board chair. “They were instrumental in helping Bob Kasey move the organization from a group of like-minded volunteers to a professional, successful nonprofit. Both Jane and Jim are extraordinarily generous, compassionate, and insightful individuals who have repeatedly gone above and beyond in their service to at-risk youth in Delaware.”
The 25th Anniversary celebration will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Delaware Museum of Natural History on Saturday, October 29.
After living and working in New York, Washington, D.C., and Europe, Maroney moved to Delaware, where she started a family and began her 20 years of service as a state representative in the Delaware General Assembly. As both an elected official and a private citizen, Maroney has been a tireless and passionate advocate for children for over 40 years. She has been honored both locally and nationally for her work and remains actively involved in many youth-focused organizations as a board member and trusted advisor.
Patton joined Connecting Generations after 36 years at DuPont, where he had leadership roles in both R&D and organizational development. He helped Kasey create a nationally recognized and widely used training curriculum that formed the basis for Connecting Generations’ mentoring programs. His involvement in the organization has deepened through his own personal experience mentoring children. In addition to his 20 years on the board, Patton has been a part of Connecting Generations’ executive committee and has also served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations.
