Big Brothers Big Sister (BBBS) of Dane County turns 50 in 2016. The affiliate organization has served thousands of children or “Littles” in the area since 1966.
January is National Mentoring Month and to celebrate 50 years of strong mentoring, the community is invited to an Open House Celebration Thursday, Jan. 21, 4-7:30 p.m. at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County, 2059 Atwood Avenue.
Jim Rose — the first Little for BBBS of Dane County — will be in attendance and he will attest to the power of strong and enduring mentoring relationships and how his life was forever changed for the better 50 years ago. Open House guests can create an item for a time capsule, decorate the office, honor a mentor and enjoy refreshments, cake and ice cream.
Sandy Morales, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer, is focused on continuing to strengthen and grow the mentoring program that matches children with caring, adult mentors. “We’re working to expand the positive effect mentoring is having in both the lives of children and our community. Mentoring builds relationships, changes habits, challenges assumptions and introduces new ways of seeing the world,” Morales said.
Children mentored through BBBS of Dane County face many challenges; nearly 84% are in low-income households and 75% live in a single or no-parent household. For 50 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been delivering significant results. From 2013 to 2015, 100% of the mentored high-school seniors graduated; 98% reported better relationships with peers, family and teachers and are less likely to consume drugs and alcohol or skip school.
