Executive Director - Thomas Gilman: Mentors Saved My Life

Complete this 2-minute non-committal interest form if you’d like to engage in caring for kids through youth mentoring or a variety of other ways.

Check out and subscribe to our YouTube channel for a video of this interview, shorts, or other conversations we have around mentoring kids from hard places.

Can one hour a week change a life?

In a powerful conversation with Thomas, the new Executive Director of the Mentoring Partnership of Miami County, we’re reminded that small, consistent acts of care—like showing up—can radically impact a child’s life. 

For Thomas, mentorship was personal. A mentor named Tim showed up, week after week, and became a safe space, a guide, and a lifeline during Thomas’s darkest moments. Today, Thomas is paying it forward, helping others become the person they needed when they were younger.

Across Miami County, 26+ partner organizations—from the Lincoln Community Center to Troy Skate Church—are pouring into kids with harder stories. These kids don’t need perfection. They need presence.

Whether you're a young adult with flexibility, a retiree with wisdom to share, part of a business, church, or civic group—there’s a place for you. The need is real. The opportunity is now.

Be part of the story. Fill out the no-commitment interest form. Because showing up for a child might just change their life—and yours too.

(00:00) The Impact of Mentorship

(00:31) Welcome to the Podcast

(00:31) Introduction to the Podcast

(01:02) Meet Thomas: New Executive Director

(02:34) Thomas's Vision and Mission

(04:39) Community Partners and Their Roles

(08:20) Thomas's Personal Story

(18:19) Engaging Different Community Groups

(27:19) The Role of Retirees and Young Adults

(31:34) Final Thoughts and Call to Action

(36:20) Call to Action