The mission of MentorKids USA is to recruit, train, and encourage mentors to be the presence of Christ in the lives of youth facing tough life challenges through one-on-one mentoring. MentorKids USA partners with Christian churches to recruit and develop caring, responsible mentors who invest their lives into their "MatchKids". While crime rates have decreased somewhat over the last few years, detention and correctional facilities are operated over capacity. Add to this the cost of incarceration and/or treatment ($20,000-75,000) per youth per year, and it is easy to see the need for fresh alternatives. MentorKids USA believes that children most likely to end up in trouble are alienated--disconnected from positive adults in their lives. Family problems are at the core of the problem. What youth want and need most has not changed. An investment of time, love and attention is the most successful strategy to turn a cold heart from a life of problems to a heart full of hope with a bright future.