Previous studies indicate that practicum experience is essential for pre-service teachers to develop understanding of effective teaching, professional identity, and culturally responsiveness. However, it is possible that first-year pre-service teachers are not ready to teach in a classroom with as many as 30 students which could present overwhelming issues in behavioral management problems, instructional design, and assessment. Instead, a one-to-one mentoring experience could be considered as a supplementary practicum experience for beginning pre-service teachers. The current study examines the implementation of a community-based mentoring experience for first-year pre-service teachers who were enrolled in a teacher education program at a state university in the southeastern United States. Data were collected through an internet-based survey administered to 54 pre-service teachers. The findings include the positive outcomes and challenges of the mentoring experience. Future directions of the mentoring experience to promote the professional development of pre-service teachers are also discussed.