The count-down to launch starts now!
Starting August 30, Brothers Big Sisters of Western North Carolina will be launching our most expansive recruitment drive to date: “100 Mentors in 100 Days”. The family-friendly kick-off party will be held at Hi-Wire’s Brewing‘s Big Top in Biltmore Village and…you’re invited!
Though agency-wide, we’ve seen an uptick in volunteer enrollment since the start of the year—with more and more people being driven to make positive and lasting impacts on their community—so have we seen the need for mentorship continue to grow with regional youth.
Currently, throughout our ten-county service area, there are over 100 children waiting to be matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister, and so during the 100-day period starting August 30 and running up to December 8, our goal is to provide each one of those children with a long-term friend and role model by recruiting at least 100 volunteer mentors as ‘Bigs.’
Qualifying mentors will be professionally matched with a child who shares their interests and personalities to ensure an enduring relationship that will both offer ‘Littles’ the support they need, and reward Bigs with the experience of being an integral part of that young person’s growth and success.
“Every time we make a match, we are changing the life of one more young person for the better,” says Executive Director Robin Myer, “This fall, if we recruit 100 mentors, then we will empower 100 more young people to thrive in school and in life—and together we’ll be making a broad-based positive impact on our community as a whole.”
The official 100 Mentors in 100 Days kick-off event, sponsored by Hi-Wire Brewing and Foothills Local Meats, is slated for Wednesday, August 30, 6PM-7PM at Hi-Wire’s Big Top location at 2 Huntsman Place, in Biltmore Village.
Complete with charcuterie boards from Foothills, BBBS will be screening our brand new “Be One Of The 100” recruitment video, current Big Brothers and Big Sisters will speak about their experiences mentoring, and staff, board and volunteers will be available to connect and answer questions that you might have about becoming a big, what’s required, what the experience is like or the support that you’ll receive once you enroll.
“Lots of people don’t think they have the time to be a Big,” says Assistant Director Jamye Davis, “but we have opportunities that will work for a variety of schedules and lifestyles,” she explains. “Our volunteers include college students, full-time employees, parents and retirees—they’re busy people who develop strong connections with their Littles and find the experience deeply meaningful and fun.”
National research has shown that, when compared to their non-mentored peers, Littles show improved performance in school, increased self-confidence and reduced risky behaviors. When they are matched with their Big, Littles are exposed to new experiences and perspectives that broaden their horizons and help them build higher aspirations for their future.
When you become a Big, you’re building a bridge. You’re changing two lives: yours and your Little’s, and you’re truly making an immeasurable positive impact on your community and the world.
We hope to see you August 30th at our kick-off event, and we hope even more that you’ll join us today.
