Every Good Achiever is Inspired by
A Great Mentor
ABOUT FAYETTEVILLE-RAEFORD CARES
Fayetteville-Raeford CARES Mentoring Movement is an affiliate of National CARES Mentoring Movement founded by Susan L. Taylor, Editor-in Chief Emeritus of Essence magazine. Find out more information about the National CARES at www.caresmentoring.org
Fayetteville-Raeford CARES Mentoring Movement recruits mentors, trains mentors and deploys mentors to serve our youngsters. Our goal is to surround our young people with caring adults and provide an opportunity to make a dramatic difference in their life.
Our Mission
To secure, heal and transform the lives of underprivileged children by inspiring, recruiting and mobilizing caring men and women to mentor and nourish them.
Our Focus
Our national group mentoring programs focus on the emotional, social and academic development of the adults who parent, mentor and educate them.
Our Belief
We are grounded in the certainty that a caring and committed adult can make a significant difference in the life of a young person. We believe that every young person in our region who is in need of a mentor should have one.
Our Vision
To build and empower our communities through collaboration with youth-based mentoring organizations, community faith leaders, local Fraternity and Sorority members, local Universities, Colleges, High Schools, Middle Schools, Elementary schools, Governmental agencies and foundations, parents, private partners and other community partners to help unlock the door to success for our young.






About National cares mentoring movement
The National CARES Mentoring Movement was founded in 2005, in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, as Essence CARES. We saw then, as the world did, all the vulnerable youngsters who, as much as anything, needed the love, guidance and support of able and caring adults. But we found that for all the need, when the call went out for mentors, White women and men responded first. Black women and Black men were too often not in the numbers. This wasn’t because of a lack of caring. We discovered that it was largely because structures did not exist to bring African Americans squarely into the work
In response, it became Susan L. Taylor’s passion to raise awareness among African Americans of the critical need for massive numbers of able Black men and women to mentor and advance our impoverished children.
AFFILIATE LEADERS
ALBERTA LAMPKINS
Alberta is the founder of A.L. Savvy Publications. She holds a BA in Sociology and has worked as a Social Worker with Child Protective Services. She has seen the outcome of mentorship and pours her heart into children advocacy.
AL LAMPKINS
Al is a US Army retired Command Sergeant Major. He holds a BS in Business Administration and works/serves as the Disabled Veterans Operations Program Coordinator for the state of North Carolina. He is a strong role model and advocate for our youth.
board members
Mary farmer
Mary B. Farmer earned her BA in Political Science with a Concentration in Public Administration from Fayetteville State University in December 1989.
Mary has over 24 years of experience working in the Human Services field and is currently working as an Income Maintenance Supervisor with the Cumberland County Department of Social Services in Fayetteville, North Carolina. .
Mary B. Farmer is the founder of Sister Circle Book Club which started in February 2000 in Fayetteville, North Carolina. She has been volunteering at Community Home Care & Hospice since 2009. In her spare time, Mary enjoys spending time with her family and reading. She also loves to travel and watch old movies.


Shandreka Moore
Shandreka Moore was born and raised in North Carolina. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Fayetteville State University, and her Master’s in Business Administration with a specialization in Human Resources from Ashford University. In her professional career, Shandreka has over 15+ years of leadership experience. Shandreka is passionate about education, self-improvement, and mentor-ship. She has 7+ years of volunteer experience, working with children. Shandreka has personally benefited from the lifelong value that a mentor provides so she is thrilled to be able to continue paying it forward, with Fayetteville-Raeford CARES.
ISABELLA EFFON
Isabella is an entrepreneur who wears many hats. She was born in Accra, Ghana and moved to the USA in 1998. Prior to that she had a business that allowed her to export and traveled to the USA in 1997 after high school. She moved to Fayetteville in 2001 and it has become her home. She is a graduate of University of the Rockies and Fayetteville State University.
She built a local health-centric catering platform, Taste of West Africa Restaurant in 2012, and quickly grew it into one of Fayetteville’s most respected eateries. The restaurant earned a certificate of excellence through Trip Advisor.
Isabella has also established Keji Services, Inc. in Fayetteville, NC. As Keji’s President and CEO, she oversee the corporate direction and strategy, focusing on leadership, innovation, and business development. A major concentration of Keji’s work is closing the evidence gap that exist in service delivery.
Culture and Heritage Alliance, a one stop shop for arts and culture, offers engaging opportunities and educational experiences to enrich and expand the life of our community. Through this Alliance, Isabella started the African World Peace Festival and 5K Run/ Walk which is now in it’s sixth year. Isabella has contributed tremendously to the Fayetteville NC Community.

Rhonda Anderson McNatt
Ms. McNatt’s early education was done in the schools of Cumberland County in Fayetteville as well. She is a graduate of E.E. Smith High School and continued her education at Bennett College in Greensboro, NC graduating with a B.S. in Special Education. Further studies led her back home to Fayetteville State University and she obtained two Masters, one in Special Education and one in School Administration. Ms. McNatt has completed all course work towards her doctorate in School Administration at Nova Southeastern University.
BENITA K. HAIRSTON
Benita holds a Masters of Divinity degree, and has over 15 years of experience as a Chaplain in the hospital, prison, substance abuse inpatient facility and youth correctional facility. Benita served in US Air Forced and recently retired from Chaplaincy at the VA Hospital in Fayetteville, NC.
Throughout her career she has obtained certification as a Mediator, served as secretary of National VA Black Chaplains, Chairman of Federal Women Program and Certified Facilitator of Practical Application Relationship Skills.
She is licensed Minister, enjoy teaching Sunday school and have participated in various ministries through the church. Benita is the CEO of New Beginnings Christian Website Design and New Beginning Resume Service.
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Tamu brown
Tamu is originally from south Florida but, after leaving the US Army she made Fayetteville NC her home. She earned a Bachelor of Social Work from Methodist College and a Master of Social Work from Fayetteville State University. Tamu works as an Operations Supervisor with the Social Security Administration. She has served as a foster and adoptive parent to multiple children and volunteered as a Guardian Ad Litem, for over 10 years.