Silver Lining Mentoring (SLM)

Founding and History

Silver Lining Mentoring was founded in 2001 by Justin Pasquariello, who lived in the foster-care system for four years as a child before being adopted at age nine. Justin would later attend Harvard University, where he developed the mentoring program working with foster youth in the Boston Area that would turn into Silver Lining Mentoring. This program worked with the Mass Mentoring Partnership and was called Adoption and Foster Care Mentoring. The organization was renamed in 2015 to Silver Lining Mentoring. ⁴

Financials

For 2023, Silver Lining Mentoring reported $3,418,288 in revenue, of which $2,771,565 stemmed from contributions and grants, $58,161 from program service revenue, and $114,242 from investment income. It received $280,263 in government grants. ⁵

It reported $2,959,408 in expenses, of which $2,304,757 was paid out in salaries and compensation, $18,353 for travel, $76,336 in program expenses, and $39,206 in professional development. It ended the year with a surplus of $458,880 and net assets of $8,129,366. ⁶

In 2022, SLM received a grant from billionaire philanthropist Mackenzie Scott. However, the amount of the donation was not publicized by SLM or Scott’s Yield Giving. That year SLM reported $5,734,581 in revenue and $3,256,254 in net revenue. ^{7  8  9}

Organization Philosophy

Silver Lining Mentoring holds left-of-center views on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). It maintains a DEI page on its website, claiming that such beliefs are essential to the group’s work, which also emphasizes racial minority and LGBT youth. On the organization’s staff page, each employee has pronouns listed, and the group’s CEO, Colby Swettberg, uses “they, them, their.” ^{2  3}

Projects and Initiatives

Silver Lining Mentoring primarily provides mentoring opportunities for youth in the foster care system in Massachusetts. Volunteers are trained by staff and partnered with a foster child for at least a year to provide support. SLM also administers a Learn and Earn program where mentors teach their mentee various life skills through a curriculum, such as household financial literacy and budgeting, as well as career skills. The mentees are paid for each segment of the course that they successfully complete. SLM also provides young adult services for individuals who have aged out. ¹

SLM also runs a program called the Silver Lining Institute. This program provides training and consultation to groups around the country that are interested in developing a similar mentorship program. It also advocates for policy changes related to mentoring and the foster system. ¹⁰

Leadership

Colby Swettberg is the CEO of Silver Lining Mentoring, a position Swettberg has held since 2009. Swettberg declares using “they, them, their” pronouns. Swettberg was previously the director of LGBTQ services at the Home for Little Wanderers. ^{3  11}