January is National Mentoring Month, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick is celebrating those who are already volunteering as Bigs and recruiting volunteers and hoping to recruit more.
Every January, the news is full of the same stories: people are trying to eat more healthfully, hit the gym more often. This year, BBBS of Bath/Brunswick is changing that story and asking: What if this year, you could resolve to something vital with long-term positive impacts for yourself, a local family, and the greater community? What if you could make a resolution worth keeping, one that inspires more resolutions? This year, the agency is asking people in Brunswick, Harpswell, and Sagadahoc County to resolve to become a Big Brother or Big Sister.
The commitment is simple: hangout with a young person approximately four hours a month – 48 hours a year, or 1% of one’s available time. With 2024 being a leap year, potential Bigs have gained a whole extra 24 hours!
Mentoring a young person in need of a positive relationship is more than just fun and rewarding; it is an evidence-based practice to promote healthy development, increase resilience, and reduce youth violence.
Without recruiting more volunteers, the waitlist of Little Brothers and Sisters at BBBS of Bath/Brunswick will continue to grow. Currently, 24 children are waiting to be matched with their perfect Big.
With 60 Bigs in 60 Days, the goal is to have at least 60 new mentors apply by February 29, 2024.
BBBS of Bath/Brunswick will host info sessions in January and February. Anyone interested in learning more about the program is highly encouraged to attend one of the below events:
- Wednesday, January 17 from 12:00 – 12:30 PM – Virtual
- Tuesday, January 23 from 5:00 – 9:00 PM at Brickyard Hollow’s Yarmouth, Brunswick, and New Gloucester locations (also 5% of sales go to BBBS!)
- Wednesday, February 7 from 12:00 – 12:30 PM – Virtual
