About Courtyard Mentor Network

The Courtyard Mentor Network is a Courtyard Residents Council Program, in partnership with the Michaels Organization, Better Tomorrows, the Queen Village Neighbors Association and the KB Foundation (KB).

The Courtyard Mentor Network helps adolescent males in Philadelphia develop long-term goals and provides them the necessary support to achieve them. We accomplish this by introducing the boys to various industries and connecting them with mentors who can guide them along their chosen career path.

We also provide them with a robust relationship skills curriculum—Real Essentials Advanced—through our partnership with the KB Foundation.

Launched in Spring 2021, Courtyard Mentor Network classes are based at Queen Village’s Courtyard Apartments at Riverview. Off-site mentorship classes and other events add educational enrichment. Read about CMN in the Queen Village Quarterly Crier. See us in action on Instagram.

Courtyard Mentor Network is funded exclusively through contributions. As a fiscally sponsored program of QVNA, your donation provides the association’s nonprofit 501(c)(3) tax advantages.

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How We Achieve Our Mission

Mentor-centric presentations

To expose youth to different industries, in order to widen their perspective

Mentor-led field trips

To deepen relationships within cohorts and with the mentors

Mentor-supported civic engagements

To instill and develop a commitment to service and community through the Courtyard Community Challenge

Relationship skills

To help build self-confidence, conflict resolution, and relationship building

The foundational theme of CMN is consistency: of weekly sessions, returning mentors, and a regular peer group. This constancy aims to set these young men up for success in high school, college, and beyond.

By the Numbers

Boys Enrolled

%

Attendance

Mentors

%

Mentors Participation in More Than 1 Event

Community Service Actions (And Growing)

Our Co-Founders

Justin Fishman Co-Founder Courtyard Mentor Network

Justin Fishman

Co-Founder

Justin Fishman is the Co-founder of the Courtyard Mentor Network and the Vice President of Operations and Programming for the KB Foundation. Justin is a United States Navy Veteran and a Lieutenant (O3) in the US Navy Reserves.

Previously, Justin was a Director at Shelbourne Capital, a Radnor, PA-based private equity commercial real estate firm, as well as Vice President/Investments for Stifel Financial Corp in its Conshohocken, PA office.

Justin was the lead financial literacy workshop facilitator for Project D.A.D, a federally granted program with a mission to help non-custodial fathers and families in Philadelphia.

In addition, Justin led the growth and expansion of Summer at Courtyard, a recreational camp free of cost for children from low-income families.

He graduated, with honors, from George Washington University with a BBA and subsequently earned an MBA from the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Justin currently lives with his wife, Rachel, their three children, and their new dog, Teddy, in the Queen Village Section of Philadelphia. He is an elected executive board member of the Queen Village Neighbors Association.

Rachel Fishman Co-Founder Courtyard Mentor Network

Rachel Fishman

Co-Founder

Rachel Fishman is the Co-Founder and Program Manager of the Courtyard Mentor Network. Over the last decade, Rachel has focused on raising her twin daughters and son, while providing ad hoc support to LJ events, a prominent wedding planning company in Philadelphia.

During the pandemic, she launched Rae & Co., a jewelry line benefiting No Kid Hungry. She currently serves on the board of Women’s Philanthropy of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.

Before moving to Philadelphia with her husband, Rachel did program administration and coordinated events at the University of Michigan, Tauber Institute for Global Operations. As well as spent six years in the fashion industry in buying and merchant training at Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue in New York.

Rachel graduated from Alfred University with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. Rachel currently lives with her husband, Justin, their three children, and their new dog, Teddy, in the Queen Village Section of Philadelphia.

Home | About | Contact

Courtyard Mentor Network

1021 S 4th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19147

Email

justin@courtyardmentornetwork.org