The 2022 Year-End Report 🥳

Worthy Community-

I am so proud to share with you the year-end report for Worthy Mentoring. It has been a little while since I formally updated you, so I want to take some time and give a thorough review of all that we have achieved with this nonprofit - thanks to you and your support!

First, what is Worthy Mentoring again?

Worthy Mentoring is a tech nonprofit that brings support, community, and safety to the coming out and being out journey for the LGBTQ+ Community. Our free mobile app connects struggling queer individuals to vetted and verified mentors specific to their queer journey.

Now, let’s chat about 2022!

Worthy Mentoring has had an exceptional year of growth and impact:

  • To date, Worthy has empowered more than 400 Mentor/Mentee matches that have uplifted those struggling in the LGBTQ+ space. We have mentors and mentees from almost all 50 US states and from a variety of identities, backgrounds, religions, and professions. I wanted to share some quick testimonials from the hundreds of lives we've impacted this past year:

    • "Thanks to an introduction to a mentor on Worthy Mentoring, I built up the courage and plan to come out to my family today. I am so grateful that this app exists and happy about my future ahead."

    • "My Worthy mentor was there for me from the very beginning. He has helped me love myself as a gay man. If it weren’t for him, I would have never started coming out of the closet. I feel like I can tell him anything, and for that I am so grateful.”

  • Worthy Mentoring was accepted into a prestigious Tech Nonprofit Accelerator in San Francisco that connected us with the leading tech corporations, resources, and experts to expand our mission and impact. The Fast Forward Tech Accelerator was instrumental in providing us with the resources and expert talent to refine our product and growth strategy as a nonprofit.

  • We were also recognized by Zendesk as a Tech for Good award recipient. This was a huge achievement for Worthy as a global, industry leading corporation recognized that our product was truly reshaping and benefitting a vast community in need. We were 1 of only 25 nonprofits selected! You can read more about it HERE.

  • We have been featured in numerous podcasts and articles about how our technology is changing the coming out process for the queer community. Below are a few of these articles 🥳

  • Additionally, we partnered with the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC to host a pride brunch that brought together our mentors and mentees and prominent LGBTQ+ leaders in the region, and Carson Kressley of RuPaul’s Drag Race was our office Emcee!

  • This year, we also worked with some incredible corporations to improve our refine our product, mission, and strategic plan including: Boston Consulting Group. Google.org, Okta, HPE Foundation, ServiceNow, Twilio.org, BlackRock, and Dell Technologies.

Anything else in 2022?

  • Yes! I am so excited to announce that through our work with a professional software development firm, ThinkNimble, we have developed Version 2.0 of the Worthy App! This new app contains improved design, on-boarding, and mentor/mentee matching, and takes into account more than 100 hours of user feedback and research. You can check out the clickable prototype HERE.

What can we expect in 2023?

  • Beginning in January, the entire Worthy Community will receive a monthly newsletter full of updates and reports on the achievements and work ahead. It will present an opportunity for individuals to get more involved and work with us to grow and scale our impact.

  • As we formally launch version 2.0 of the Worthy App, we will be hosting numerous in-person and virtual events to get out the word about our Coming Out App. You will be the first to know about these events and join us if you’re able!

  • Finally, we will be launching some new valuable features in the Worthy App and collaborating with some global partners. I can’t wait to share those updates with you soon!

THANK YOU. This has been a truly special year for Worthy Mentoring and none of it would have been possible without the support and love from our Worthy Community. Wishing all of you a wonderful Holiday Season, and I look forward to updating you in January of 2023!

With immense gratitude,

Michael Edmonson

Co-Founder & CEO, Worthy Mentoring

Rex Woodbury