When Mark Thompson, a 45-year-old mechanic from Ohio, was laid off, he felt defeated. With no income, a family to support, and bills piling up, he spiraled into depression. But one day, while walking past a struggling local school, he saw a sign: “Volunteers Needed – Mentors Wanted.”

He stepped in, just to feel useful again.

What started as a few hours of tutoring turned into something much bigger. Mark began helping underprivileged kids with homework, building confidence, and even teaching basic life skills. Word spread, and more children came. Within a year, he had helped over 300 students.

One parent said, “He’s not a volunteer. He’s a miracle.”

Mark now runs a full-time youth program funded by local businesses, and though he never expected this path, he says losing his job was “the best thing that ever happened to me.”