Silver Lining Mentoring, a Boston-based nonprofit that empowers youth in foster care to flourish through committed mentoring relationships and the development of essential life skills, raised $525,000 and unlocked a $100,000 challenge gift at its Match Gala, making this its most successful to date.

This Match Gala marked Silver Lining Mentoring’s 15th anniversary, with Founder and Board Member Justin Pasquariello speaking about his personal experience in foster care which led him to start the organization while at Harvard University.

CEO Colby Swettberg spoke about the impact Silver Lining Mentoring has had on youth in foster care stating, “Mentoring relationships are the foundation of our programs. We exist to ensure that every young person in foster care has at least one caring, consistent mentor who provides support during exciting milestones and during tumultuous challenges, like being uprooted for the umpteenth time. Our mentors are often the only adults in our young people’s lives who are not paid to spend time with them. Relationships are a lifeline for our youth.”

Silver Lining Mentoring mentee and Power of Two award recipient Tina S. spoke about her positive experiences with mentor Julie Hall over the course of their 11 year relationship, stating “When I was a little kid, I didn’t have one single stable relationship. Julie and Silver Lining Mentoring have helped me change that. Having Julie and SLM in my life means that now I have stable, consistent, and healthy relationships. Now, I know that people do want to be around me, that there are people I can trust, and that things will work out.”

SLM also honored the Social Innovation Forum, who choose Silver Lining as a 2014 investee, for their innumerable contributions to the organization.

Board Chair Scott Knox concluded the event by encouraging all guests to write notes to SLM’s young people, mentors, and staff which provided a meaningful connection for all in attendance.  He noted, “Our volunteer event committee, and especially our event chairs, were extremely committed to the success of the Match Gala. Their incredible efforts in bringing on generous corporate sponsors, inviting their friends and colleagues as guests, and preparing their guests for what to expect during the evening is absolutely what brought SLM success on the 16th.”

Thanks to the generosity of SLM’s incredible supporters, this year Silver Lining Mentoring will provide more than 350 young people with a unique combination of mentoring relationships, life skills and housing support.