Being a teen is tough enough, especially without a supportive adult around.

In Michigan, the GoodGuides youth mentoring program is working to help at-risk youth get on the right track for future success.

Spokesperson Kim Owens says they are targeting kids ages 12 to 17, who face risk factors such as school failure, family violence, delinquency, poverty, and other disadvantages.

"Seventy-five percent of our students are probably on the free lunch program because they can't afford to bring lunch. A lot of them eat breakfast at school as well. A lot of the kids are missing not just nutritional value but they're missing that parent, that moral support that they need at home to finish school. "

GoodGuides mentors spend at least four hours a month with a youth, working on career exploration and skill advancement.

Owens says the goal is to offer kids a pathway out of poverty and crime through positive youth development.