In the more than 20 years since Mercy Home for Boys & Girls established the Friends First volunteer mentoring program, we have matched more than 1,000 Chicago area boys and girls between the ages of 9 and 17 with caring adults who have become reliable friends and role models.  The following is a story about how one of our mentors has made a difference in the life of his mentee and how these two people have decided to spend their time together through giving back to their community.