Hidden Gems: Meet Aaron Parrott of MentorKids USA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Aaron Parrott.

Hi Aaron, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey into this work started long before my career did. I grew up as a missionary kid in Central and South America, which gave me a front-row seat to both the challenges many folks face and the power of relationships to change lives. That experience shaped how I view leadership and reinforced a belief that has guided my life’s work: real change happens through long-term investment in people.

I joined MentorKids USA in 2005 at an entry level position, not fully knowing where the path would lead. Over the past two decades, I’ve had the opportunity to grow with the organization and now serve as Executive Director.

Throughout my time at MentorKids I’ve experienced the ups and downs of the Great Recession (2007) and COVID (2020), helped grow from a budget of $200,000 to nearly $2 million, and supported building a team from 6 to nearly 60. One thing that has kept me moving forward through all of this has been a strong sense of calling. If God has called me to do this, I’m sticking with it until He changes the plan. Another strong motivator is the people I work with. They work hard, have tremendous integrity and passion, and truly believe in our mission.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. We’ve faced financial challenges, organizational pivots, and seasons where we had to make difficult decisions about how to move forward. One defining moment came when we had to reimagine our model to ensure long-term sustainability and deeper impact. That season stretched us, but it also clarified who we are and what we’re called to do. We completely changed our model from one-to-one mentoring to a new approach we call Promise Neighborhoods. This change has helped us make deeper impact and experience tremendous growth.

Another challenge came with COVID in early 2020. Many nonprofits shut down or “paused” services. MentorKids INCREASED services and we grew substantially. This is a huge testament to the amazing people on our team, our supporters, our board of directors, and a very effective program model.

Through it all, one truth has remained: if you invest deeply and consistently in young people, it changes everything.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about MentorKids USA?
MentorKids USA exists to equip and empower youth to become transformative leaders in their lives, their families, and their neighborhoods.

At the core of our mission is a simple but powerful idea: We build leaders who build leaders.

We serve K–12 students year-round through mentoring, academic support, leadership development, and community engagement. As students grow, they don’t just receive support—they begin to lead. Many of our high school students step into mentoring roles themselves, investing in younger students and continuing the cycle of impact.

We specialize in long-term, relationship-driven mentoring within what we call Promise Neighborhoods—communities with significant challenges but also containing untapped potential where we make a deep and sustained investment over time.

What sets us apart is our commitment to staying. We’re not a short-term program. We walk alongside students and families for years—sometimes over a decade—building trust and helping them grow into leaders.

Everything we do is centered around three core areas:

Academic growth
Spiritual and Character development
Leadership formation

But more than programs, we’re known for our consistency. We show up week after week, year after year, because that’s what it takes to see real transformation.

What we’re most proud of is that our impact multiplies. We’re not just serving students—we’re developing leaders who go on to lead others. In a world that often focuses on quick results, we’ve committed to long-term transformation.

A powerful example of this is Briana’s story.

Briana started with MentorKids as a young student (2nd grade), stepping into a program where she was known, supported, and consistently invested in. Over the years, through relationships with mentors and steady encouragement, she began to grow in confidence, identity, and leadership.

But her story didn’t stop there.

As she entered high school, Briana stepped into leadership herself—mentoring younger students, showing up for them the way others had shown up for her. She became a role model not just within the program, but in her family and her community.

Today, Briana represents exactly what we mean when we say, “We build leaders who build leaders.” Her life is a reflection of what happens when a young person is invested in over time—they don’t just experience change, they become agents of change. She is currently halfway through earning a degree in nursing. Her 3 younger siblings are still involved in MentorKids and look to her as an example to follow. Briana will be the first in her family to earn a college degree…but not the last!

That’s what we’re most proud of. Our students become leaders in their lives, their families, and their neighborhoods—and then they turn around and invest in others.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
If there’s one thing we want readers to understand, it’s this: young people are worth the investment.

When you show up consistently, build relationships, and create opportunities for growth, you don’t just change one life—you create a ripple effect that impacts families and entire communities.

If you’re inspired by that vision, there’s a place for you in this story. You can invest in the next generation by volunteering as a mentor, giving financially, joining our board or a committee, or simply helping us share this mission with others.

Together, we can continue to live out this vision: We build leaders who build leaders—raising up the next generation of leaders in their lives, their families, and their neighborhoods.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mentorkidsusa.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mentorkids_usa/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mentorkidsusa/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mentorkids-usa
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MentorKids_USA