The Rotary Club of Tryon just sent out its Feb. 11 newsletter and featured Jessica Toney’s presentation last week about the success and ongoing need for volunteers in Polk and Rutherford counties. Jessica is Program Manager of our work in Polk and Rutherford Program Manager. Accompanying her was Rutherford Program Coordinator Madi Siegfried.
Here’s the article that the Rotary Club included in its newsletter.
You know it is going to be a good day when you go to work for an organization with the mission to: “Create and support mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.” Last week, Jessica Toney, the Polk & Rutherford Program Manager for Big Brother & Big Sisters of Western North Carolina, shared how Rotarians can make a difference in the life of a child by volunteering to be a mentor.
Toney was joined by Madi Siegfried, Program Coordinator for Rutherford County, in sharing the great work being done by the BBBS program. The pair explained how they work to ensure every child in our area has an enjoyable, long-term relationship with a caring adult who believes in them and sees their potential. When matched with their Big, Littles gain a role model and access to new experiences through which they build higher aspirations for their lives.
When Toney took over the program a few years ago, there were 11 BBBS matches in Polk County. Since that time, she has grown the program to now serve over 45 children in our community. These relationships help provide children with the support they need to achieve academic improvement and growth in self-confidence, while rewarding mentors with the experience of being an integral part of that young person’s success.
Unfortunately, Toney still has more than 40 children still looking for a match.
To learn more about the BBBS program and how you can make a difference in the life of a child, please contact Jessica Toney at jessicat@bbbswnc.org or visit: https://www.bbbswnc.org/
