NEWS RELEASE
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS ORILLIA AND DISTRICT
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A young Orillia girl struggled with self-esteem issues that made it difficult for her to go to school.
However, the girl’s mother started noticing changes once she was matched with a Big Sister through Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Orillia and District.
Soon, the girl was more excited about going to school, especially on the days when she got to meet her Big Sister.
This littler girl found strength through her match. Like many others, she said her Big Sister made her feel heard, supported, connected and part of the community.
Even the principals of local schools have seen the value of the mentorship program.
“Thank you,” says Kim Jackson, principal, Monsignor Lee Catholic School. “The matches were really quite remarkable this year. Our kids anticipated their mentor's arrival with excitement each week. This has been a very positive experience for all. Thanks for reaching out to us.”
We’ve done all of this with support from grants, fundraisers, donors and most of all, our extremely strong relationship with you: our community members.
We’re looking to you for valuable cooperation so we can continue to empower lives and build thriving communities.
In 2017, through the combined efforts of individuals and corporate sponsors, our agency was able to raise enough money to change the lives of over 300 children and youth in Orillia and area.
Since the beginning of the current school year, we have matched 119 children and youth, aged six to 16. The number of children served is expected to reach 306 by February next year.
Our goal is to have no waiting list, however there are two factors getting in our way. The first is the number of volunteers currently registered with us and the other is our financial need.
Currently, our agency has 35 children waiting for a mentor, 25 of those are waiting to be matched with a male mentor. We are in dire need of additional volunteers who would like to invest time into the lives of at-risk children and youth. The time commitment is as little as one hour per week.
Our organization provides mentoring opportunities through both site-based and community-based programs.
Our site-based programs include one-on-one in-school mentoring programs as well as group-based programs, such as Go Girls! Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds, and Game On! Eat Smart, Play Smart, Live Smart.
We offer these at 22 schools in Orillia and surrounding areas. Our community-based programming matches mentors one-on-one with a child or youth.
All of our programs help children and youth with building strengths such as leadership, confidence, healthy lifestyle choices, social skills, and teamwork.
Mentors help children and youth by providing positive support, where 63 per cent of children who have been through the programs have gone on to receive post-secondary education. Compared to other at-risk youth, BBBS “littles” are 17 per cent more likely to be employed, and 81 per cent report financial literacy.
Studies show that children who have been through the mentoring process spend 30 per cent more time volunteering in the community. They are also 13 per cent more likely to donate to charities, giving 20 per cent more than the average person.
As a not-for-profit organization, we rely on sponsorships, donations and grants to offer our programs free-of-charge to the youth we serve. The average cost of serving one child per year is $1,100. Last year, we were lucky enough to receive enough community backing to serve over 300 children and youth.
With the beginning of the new school year came the opportunity to re-apply for grants that assist with the costs of running our programs. Unfortunately, with more and more non-profit organizations vying for the same money, our agency has been turned down for two grants that are key for our programs, leaving a gap of over $10,000 in funding.
How can you help?
There are many ways you can help; sign up to make monthly donations, send in a one-time donation, name our agency in a life insurance policy or will, host a holiday party in our name, or make a donation of securities/mutual funds.
Through a monthly donation, you will not only be helping our agency continue the programs we currently offer but you will be updated on how your funds are being put to use.
You can donate as little as $20 per month. The amount may not seem like a lot, but over the course of a year it adds up to $240. If 20 of our community members signed up for $20 per month, this would help us close our funding gap by raising $4,800.
All donations made to BBBS Orillia stay local to help kids in our community. You will also receive a charitable tax receipt, which can be used when filing your tax return. The more you give the more you save.
Call Amanda Tevelde at 705-325-3151, ext. 228 or email her at [email protected] or visit here to find out how you can help
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