Big Brothers Big Sisters Holiday Drive: Mentorship and Giving

Big Brothers Big Sisters Mission

• 🎯 The core mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships between adult mentors ("bigs") and children aged 6-18 ("littles").
• 💡 Research from Harvard University and the U.S. Department of Treasury indicates that these mentorships significantly impact children's lives, making them 20% more likely to attend college and have 15% higher lifetime earnings.
• ⚠️ Mentored children are also less likely to engage in drug or alcohol use or other risky behaviors.

Holiday Drive and Community Mobilization

• 🎄 Big Brothers Big Sisters is activating communities nationwide for its holiday drive, aiming to provide presents for families in need.
• 🏠 Approximately 80% of the families served across the country are single-parent households, often with multiple children, making holiday support particularly critical.
• 🤝 The organization mobilizes volunteers and community partners to adopt families and reach as many children as possible during the holiday season.

Impact of Adopt-a-Family Programs

• 🎁 In Central Arizona, an "Adopt a Family" program supported 51 families, impacting around 220 children by ensuring they receive gifts.
• 🌟 Nationally, Big Brothers Big Sisters partnered with Macy's, whose support helps make the holiday drive successful, ensuring children receive gifts for Christmas and Hanukkah.

How to Support Big Brothers Big Sisters

• 🙋 The most significant need is for "bigs" (mentors), with some programs requiring as little as an hour a week, such as during a school lunch break (site-based programs).
• 💰 Donating financially to your local Big Brothers Big Sisters chapter is another effective way to support their mission and programs.