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Home > Archive > Oct 26, 2006

Making a “Big” Difference in the Lives of Children
By Jeffrey Allen
Staff Writer

With their 200th child matched with a “Big Brother/Sister” this past August, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Utah is leaving their mark on the face of the community – and that mark is a beaming smile, on the face of youth and elder alike.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the “oldest, largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the United States,” according to the BBBS Web site. Since its inception in 1904, BBBS has continued to inspire youth to reach for the stars while keeping them grounded in supportive, enjoyable and lasting relationships with their Big Brother/Sister mentors.

The independent research firm Public/Private Ventures concluded in a study that Little Brothers/Sisters are 52 percent less likely to skip school, 46 percent less likely to initiate drug use, 27 percent less likely to initiate alcohol use, and 33 percent less likely to engage in violence – all as a result of the prolonged positive peer influence of a Big Brother/Sister.

BBBS of Southern Utah, with coverage from Ivins to Hurricane, opened in 2003 and hit the ground running. As a nonprofit organization operating solely from the generosity of individuals and businesses, BBBS of Southern Utah’s main purpose is to provide children ages 6 to 12 with a specially matched mentor to help guide them on their path to success. Most of the children – or “Littles,” as they call them – matched with a Big Brother/Sister come from single-parent families, so the Big Brother/Sister usually functions as an added and invaluable link of support for the child, and the family unit as a whole.

Take, for example, the story of Little Brother Matt and Big Brother Kimball of the Southern Utah BBBS program. Matt has grown up without a father figure in his life, so when he met Kimball, Matt adored him and was extremely grateful for his new companion. Matt’s mom said she noticed right away a “night-and-day” change in her son. Big Brother Kimball takes Matt hiking, snowboarding and to the movies; he also helps Matt with his homework and school projects. Matt’s mom said that he began to feel more confident and better about himself, not to mention that he was trying much harder in school as a result of his newfound Big Brother.
“My Big Brother cares about me,” Matt said. “He does things with me because I’m special, not because he has to.”

This is just one concrete example of the “Big” difference BBBS of Southern Utah is making in the lives of Washington County youth.

Big Brothers/Sisters are chosen through a set of strict guidelines, including a background check and in-depth screening process.

Cami Cox, customer relations specialist at BBBS of Southern Utah, encourages parents to enroll their kids in the program, as it is the chance of a lifetime.

“As an organization, we have one of the best track records in the country because of how we’re structured,” Cox said. “And the parent always gets preference over the volunteer.”
No child is paired with a mentor without parents’ full consent. Ultimately, the decision to match a child with a chosen mentor rests upon the parents.

BBBS of Southern Utah offers two types of matching programs. One is the community-based program, where a child is paired with an adult from the surrounding community. In this situation, the Big Brother/Sister ideally meets with the child once a week, although it is not required to meet weekly. Married couples also are welcome to team up to provide service to the youth. Ordinarily, mentors are paired with children of the same sex, but married couples have the option of pairing with a boy or a girl.

The other program is the school-based program, in which elementary students are paired with a mentor/tutor on the school grounds for an hour each week. East Elementary School in St. George currently offers a school-based mentoring program. Children meet with their Big Brother/Sister every Friday to help guide them through the school year.

Because BBBS of Southern Utah is an NGO, they rely on community fundraising efforts. One of the events to help raise funds for BBBS of Southern Utah is being sponsored by the Bloomington Branch of the State Bank of Southern Utah. They will be selling hotdogs in front of the Bloomington Wal-Mart on Nov. 4 in an effort to raise money to buy Christmas presents for the Little Brothers/Sisters in the St. George area. Event organizers not only hope that citizens will purchase hot dogs on Nov. 4, but they are also asking for donations to purchase the hot dogs for the event.

BBBS of Southern Utah is a cornerstone of the community, helping to ensure every child has access to the tools that make dreams come true.

For more information on how you can help with the upcoming BBBS of Southern Utah Hotdog Fundraiser, contact Amy Hansen at 688-8900. If you would like to find out more about volunteering or enrolling your child in the BBBS program, visit their Web site at www.bbbsu.org or contact them by phone at 986-9776.

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