For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that every child should have the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages six through 18, in communities across the country. Big Brothers Big Sisters develops positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.
In order for someone to be a “Big” they must be a junior or senior in high school, have reliable transportation to and from their little’s elementary school, and attend the three training sessions led by the agency that usually takes place at the high school. Another thing Bigs must do is have a one on one interview with one of the directors in the program to see what their interests may be and to see if they would be a reliable match.
“Through the enrollment process we are able to learn what the Bigs interests are and what little they would best be matched with,” said Executive Director Meggan Schawang.
Junior Kristen Valle recently received the phone call that she had been accepted into the program and is patiently waiting to be matched with her little.
“I am really hoping that I get matched soon as I want to spend as much time with my little as I can,” said Valle.
Being matched with a little is a huge responsibility. Bigs have made a commitment to go in and see their little once or even twice a week and make him or her feel special. But at the end of the day what Bigs do for their little throughout the course of their match can be extremely rewarding.
“The best thing to me about Big Brothers Big Sisters is how simple it is to make a difference in a child’s life. All you have to do is show up regularly and be positive,” Said Schawang.
