Happy Volunteer Month! We couldn’t fulfill our mission without the support of you, our village. Thanks for showing up and being a listening ear for our kids, providing new experiences, and shaping the lives of our youth. Having my children, I understand the concept of “it takes a village” – supporting one another for our community’s betterment.

We just finished our Youth Protection Summit, highlighting the best emerging practices in youth protection strategies and recent innovations within our organization. BBBS is a leader in child protection as it celebrates its 120th anniversary. Our standards consistently evolve to be better and better. We modify and strengthen our child protection systems continuously, making it our priority to learn, share best practices, and screen volunteers to the highest standard. Part of our program, and what sets us apart from other mentoring organizations, is the ongoing support, training, and coaching we provide to mentors, youth, and their families. We regularly evaluate the needs of each match and family and how we can support them with resources, for the LIFE OF THE MATCH.

Just like the flowers blooming, we are constantly changing and growing to provide the best possible outcomes for youth. Did you know that mentees/”Littles” in the program said…

• 98% said their Big provided stability
• 90% said their Big helped them make better choices
• 90% said their Big made them feel better about themselves
• 83% said they improved their positive attitude towards school/grades
• 86% said they improved a positive attitude toward risk behaviors such as substance misuse

Soon we will be talking more about new programming and partnerships, so stay tuned and be sure to check us out on social media.

Mentoring works!

Happy spring,

Stacy