In conjunction with their 50th anniversary celebration, Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Dane County will be honoring the people who demonstrate a strong and enduring commitment to mentoring — matched “Bigs” and “Littles.”
The event will take place Thursday, Feb. 18, 6–7:30 p.m., at the Goodman Community Center where community members can hear firsthand from BBBS matches who have been together for 5 or more years will talk about what the program has meant to them.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County serves more than 650 at-risk children in Dane County and its mission is to provide children facing adversity with a strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentor relationship that can change the life of a child for the better, forever.
The first-ever Match-Iversary celebration will recognize the work it takes to make and sustain matches while celebrating their positive outcomes. Bruce Ricco—a Little, who has been matched with his Big Brother Ken Grieve for 45 years, will be in attendance and can attest to the impact of a mentoring relationship.
For 50 years, the dedication of matches have enabled children to have higher aspirations, greater confidence and educational success. Nearly 84 percent of Littles are in low-income situations and 75 percent live in a single or no-parent household. Despite the adversity, from 2013-’15, 100 percent of mentored high-school seniors graduated and 98 percent reported better relationships with peers, family and teachers.
For more information about the event, click here.
