Mission
 
Our mission is to mentor at-risk fatherless young men from the 7th grade through high school graduation, and provide care for the single mothers raising these young men.

The Setting

The North Sacramento area, which includes Del Paso Heights, is an area of significant poverty and reflects dramatic fatherlessness. Families living in North Sacramento are from more that twenty-five nations with 31% Southeast Asian, 30% Hispanic, 25% African American, and 5% Caucasian, including Slavic speaking people. This is an area of high crime, prostitution, and violence.

It’s been estimated by STS that 70% or more of the youth in North Sacramento are functionally fatherless. They are raised by their mothers or grandmother and taught principally by female teachers at public schools. 82% of teachers in America are female. Source: National Center for Education Information August 2005.

Educational data suggests that as the percentage of low-income students goes up, academic performance goes down. When about 70% of the students in a school become eligible for subsidized lunches, academic performance falls off rather sharply. By 90%, it's in the cellar. At many schools in North Sacramento the percentage of low income students is 90% or more.

The risk factors associated with young men growing up in single parent households include lower school performance, increased risk for drug and alcohol use, higher rates of depression and increased criminal activity, to name a few. These risk factors increase due to lack of adequate father involvement, a significant increase in financial stress levels within the family and limited time resources. The gap that occurs when a father is not involved or cannot be involved is significant.

During 4th grade through 8th grade years students are exposed to drugs, alcohol, violence, abuse, and STDs resulting from sexual promiscuity. These years represent a developmental period when young people begin to exert more and more independence, putting them at higher risk for making poor choices, especially choices that may limit their future choices. These years are especially difficult for youth growing up without a strong male influence in the home.

“Money is not the solution; it takes a life-on-life relationship”

Shoulder To Shoulder was founded in 1996 to serve men located in the greater Sacramento region. It was incorporated in 2000 as a community sponsored faith based non profit corporation under the Federal Tax Code 501(c)3 and it’s Tax ID is 94-3343868.

In November 2007, STS became affiliated with The Navigators, a faith based non profit corporation formed in 1933 and today operates in over 105 countries.