Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big Brothers Big Sisters is an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), a national, not-for-profit organization. For over 100 years, it has based its service on the premise that a one-to-one friendship with an adult can provide the support a child needs to grow and mature in a positive way. Big Brothers Big Sisters matches adult volunteers with at-risk children primarily from single-parent homes. Mentors act as role models to school-aged Little Brothers and Little Sisters.

A child’s self-esteem increases when an adult friend genuinely cares. The future is broadened by a role model who can be a guide to life’s opportunities and around life’s obstacles. For these children, the obstacles can be very real. Volunteers can connect with a youth who needs them, have the opportunity to make a good life even better and feel a sense of “giving back.” As one volunteer put it, “I joined to make a difference in a child’s life, but sometimes I think I get more out of it than he does.”

A Big Brother or Big Sister can have a major impact on a child’s life and yet it’s a truly simple process. It just takes some time, a love of life, and a concern for children. A Big Brother or Big Sister is not a substitute parent or a baby-sitter. Activities are those any friends would share: watching movies, bicycling in the park, sitting and talking or even just running errands. One volunteer said, “Some of our best times are just talking when we’re in the car.” The focus is not on spending money, but on just spending time with a child. That time can make a positive difference in a child’s life.

Prospective volunteers, who commit to a few hours a week for at least a year, are carefully evaluated by agency staff members. Each match is based on the needs of the child and the interests of both the child and the volunteer. Once a match is made, professional caseworkers provide advice and support to help the match grow. Anyone interested in referring a child or volunteering as a mentor should contact the Big Brothers Big Sisters office in Oneida County at 315-738-0794 ext. 285 or in Herkimer County at 315-866-2863 ext. 108.

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CLICK HERE for a link to the National BBBS webpage.