The Impact of Our Volunteers
4/16/2020
Former Little Sister Kelly is in college now. Matched with Big Sister Katie in 2010, the two spent seven years with BBBSNH before Kelly graduated from high school. When Katie got married, Kelly was right by her side, and they still keep in touch to this day. In fact, in a recent college scholarship application she wrote about their special relationship (shared with permission):
"When I was ten years old, I enrolled into the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program. Through this program, I was introduced to Katie. From just our first interaction, she provided me with kindness and friendship. We were complete strangers, but she accepted me as part of her family.
"Growing up in a low-income family and never feeling completely stable, I lacked confidence in myself and my capabilities. Katie helped me realize my potential in not just school, but in life as well. She possesses all of the qualities of a good leader. She was my mentor and helped guide me in the right direction through life. Without her, I am not sure where I would be; however, because of her, I graduated high school, I am in college, I am able to provide financially for myself, and I continue to push myself in everything I do.
"A leader isn't always someone who takes charge of an entire group in order to lead them into a planned direction. Sometimes a leader is simply a person who devotes their time to helping someone grow into an aspiring woman. Katie took time out of her day to help me grow and prosper. She was never required to do this; instead she chose to, and to me, that is was makes someone a true leader. She helped lead me into the right direction, and because of her passion, humility, and integrity, she is a leader, and one day I hope to impact someone's life like she has for me."
National Volunteer Month in April offers an opportunity to recognize and honor all of the volunteers in our communities. Volunteer mentors are at the heart of our organization, and we couldn't think of a better time to thank each and every one of them for their part in changing the lives of youth for the better!
Last year alone, 672 Granite State volunteer mentors dedicated 32,256 hours to their Littles. The average match length in our community-based program is nearly 3 years, and the average match length of our site-based program is more than year and half.
All of this time and energy adds us to excellent outcomes for New Hampshire's youth.
Our Bigs give their Littles the inspiration and confidence needed to achieve their dreams, and our matches are strong and long-lasting, which we know provides the greatest opportunity for our Littles to achieve positive outcomes.
- 70% of Littles have higher educational aspirations
- 77% of Littles report better decision making
- 90% of Littles feel better about themselves
Please, take a moment to thank a volunteer in your life this month. They are making a world of difference!
Image: Former Little Sister Kelly, pictured as a bridesmaid in Katie's wedding.