Fostering Mentorship: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Denton
Guest blog by Marshall Richardson
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a nationwide non-profit that specializes in pairing children with adult mentors. The adults are matched with children after extensive background checks and are paired based on how their experiences match up with providing the best mentoring for a child. The motto for the charity is “Igniting Potential” where they seek to spark the ambition in every child.
The Denton chapter has been active with a Community Engagement program and through After School programs with local Denton schools.
For the “Community Engagement” program, the Denton chapter helps out at various local events and volunteers to share their message of mentoring and to provide for children. Recently, the group participated with North Texas Giving Day, which is an event sponsored by the Communities Foundation of Texas. The group sponsors an 18-hour online giving event that empowers people to give back to their local communities.
During North Texas Giving Day, Big Brothers Big Sisters was able to raise $177,341 for local Denton children in North Texas and to provide more funding for their mentoring programs. Currently, the group is trying to find new members for its Denton board to build up more leadership.
Local Denton schools host Big Brothers Big Sisters during their After-School programs. The programs are designed around children who may lack a parental figure at home. The motto for the After-School programs is “Defending Potential” because so many young children risk losing what makes them unique by not receiving proper mentorship at a young age.
At the University of North Texas, Big Brothers Big Sisters works actively with a student organization named UNT BIGS. The group currently has 31 members, and the Denton chapter is working to recruit student members for local Denton children.
The meetings for UNT BIGS are on Mondays from 7 p.m. to 8:30p.m. at the Business Leadership Building. The group also offers free food and materials to learn more about the program at meetings. They also provide class credit for certain classes that require community involvement.
In Denton, there have been many success stories that Big Brothers Big Sisters has helped foster. For example, the organization gave an award on September 19 to an adult named Paul and his “Little Brother” Malachi called the “Lone Star Big Brother of the Year.”
Malachi was signed up for Big Brothers Big Sisters eight years ago by his mother and was paired with Paul. Paul has supported Malachi through his family’s loss of members and health issues. Since becoming his mentor, Paul has never missed an important event in his life, such as sports games and graduation.
Paul has mentored Malachi and provided support to him when needed. Now, Malachi is a high school graduate and plans to attend college, likely becoming a Big Brother himself one day.
Big Brothers Big Sisters has helped many children in Denton by allowing them to grow up under the watchful eye of caring mentors. To further the mentorship goals of the organization, donations can be made here.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Denton
Address: 306 N Loop 288 #107, Denton, TX 76209
https://www.facebook.com/bbbsdenton/
Photo 1 - A Mentor is playing “The Game of Life” with a child during a Community Engagement event.
Photo 2 - A Mentor is playing “Connect 4” with a child.
