As summer continues full speed ahead, local youth may not be ready to think about heading back to school quite yet, but Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota is working to ensure that kids feel supported both in and out of the classroom this fall.
Starting July 22, BBBS of Central Minnesota is running a Back to School recruitment campaign with a goal of securing 60 new adult mentors by Aug. 30. Heading into the new school year, the Central Minnesota agency has more than 130 youth waiting for a Big, and that list will likely grow as once classes get back in session and teachers and counselors identify other kids who would benefit from an adult mentor.
Recruitment of adult mentors is a priority heading into the 2024-25 school year. Adult mentors can be matched through the agency’s community-based program, a school-based program in one of six districts around Central Minnesota, or the Bigs on Campus initiative. Community-based matches meet on their own time, while school-based and Bigs on Campus matches meet at agency-sponsored activities and set times.
Of the Littles on the wait list, 10 have been waiting more than two years to find a mentor. On average, boys wait 10 months to find a mentor and girls wait nearly seven months. Sixty percent of the waiting Littles identify as male, but less than 30 percent of the Central Minnesota agency’s current mentors identify as male.
A campaign kickoff event is scheduled for Tuesday, July 23, at Back Shed Brewing in Waite Park. From 4-7 p.m., current Bigs and anyone interested in becoming a Big is welcome to stop by to talk to BBBS staff about becoming a mentor. If a current Big brings in a friend interested in becoming a mentor, they both get a free drink ticket courtesy of BBBS. This event is 21+.