Yesterday, on December 8th, we officially ended the campaign. Did we meet our goal? You bet! We even exceeded it by 6 mentors.
Through person to person outreach, posting flyers, storytelling, social media, local press and the generous support of Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company and Grail Moviehouse—who each donated 30-70 seconds of preview time to screen our abridged recruitment videos during the 3 month campaign—we received 106 volunteer enrollment forms in 100 days! We are truly inspired by the strong commitment that Western North Carolinians have toward our region’s youth and their futures.
What’s next? Well, there’s still work to be done: with these enrollment forms submitted, we’re making matches every week and connecting kids who have been waiting with caring adults who will enrich their lives and broaden their horizons. Of utmost importance to Big Brothers Big Sisters of WNC and the success of any match is making sure the Big and Little are a good fit for each other; share similar and complimentary interests and personalities—and a match is never made unless our professional staff is confident that it will succeed. Our staff have years of experience making matches that endure—many of the relationships that start at BBBS last way beyond when the match officially closes upon high school graduation—and that is what makes the Big Brothers Big Sisters program so powerful and so unique: even when the program ends, the relationships can last a lifetime. Many parents and Bigs report that their relationship grows to the status of extended family.
So who are these folks who were matched over the past three months? What are their stories and what are they up to? Stay tuned, as we’ll be checking in with them in the coming months and years to share their stories and their milestones. For now, check out this photo album for a window into the many stories that are just beginning:
