Programs - Kids We Serve

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At Big Brothers Big Sisters we believe that every child could benefit from having a mentor, but most of the children we match have special needs in their lives. Many are from single-parent homes. Many have siblings in the home, so a family might have two or three children receiving services from Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Our mentoring programs are free to the families of the children we serve. It is our goal that through the help of positive relationships, children are offered guidance, support and friendship.

Our "Littles" vary in age, ethnicity and nationality. Big Brothers Big Sisters begins serving kids once they reach six years old. Typically we will match a child up to age 15, Once a child is matched, the mentoring relationship is encouraged to last until the child turns 18 or completes high school, whichever comes last.

While being a "Big" is easy and we're constantly recruiting new volunteers, we presently don't have enough Bigs. (Again, note that some of our school-based programs, specifically target high school students, enabling us to enroll and serve the older teenagers in those communities.)

The kids in our program are referred to us in many ways-through social service agencies; by school counselors, teachers and administrators; or by their own parent or grandparent who might hear about our program on the radio or see an ad on the television. A youth might see this site on his school library computer and tell his mom he would like a Big Brother.

There will always be children in our communities who could benefit from having a mentor. We are sure to speak to each young person before they enter our program to ensure this is something they truly want to be involved in. We also talk with them about expectations, the relationship and the rewards. And, just like our children, the parent must also want this rewarding relationship for their son or daughter.

While there are many fine organizations that offer intervention services, our programs are prevention-focused. Some of the children in our program simply have poor self-esteem, while others face issues like low school grades or difficulty making friends. These kids just need an extra friend to share some memorable moments with that they can learn from.

At Big Brothers Big Sisters we match "Bigs" with "Littles" based on a variety of things. Our professional staff considers the strengths offered by the volunteer and the needs of each child. We look at personality types, interests, family history and life goals. With the professional assessment of our staff and the fine-tuned method of matching, we increase the likelihood that the mentoring relationship will be successful and lasting.