MICHIGAN BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS AGENCIES DEMONSTRATE SUPPORT OF
NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH THROUGH SEASONAL EVENTS

Muskegon, MI  January 2^nd, 2014 – Established in 2002 by the Harvard School of Public Health and MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, National Mentoring Month (NMM) aims to bring national attention to the ever growing need for volunteers to serve as mentors for youth. The initiative provides a wealth of resources and strategies for individuals, companies, and organizations enabling communities to cohesively work together to recruit mentors. Youth paired with caring adult mentors have shown positive trends in social and scholastic outcomes including academic improvements, progressive views regarding higher education ambitions, the avoidance of risky behaviors including drug/alcohol usage and skipping school, and improved socio-emotional responses to both peers and family. Increasing the number of available mentors continues to support optimistic outcomes for our nation’s youth.

As the nation’s oldest donor and volunteer-supported mentor recruitment network, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies provide an evidence-based solution to recruiting and retaining program mentors, serving thousands of children through the U.S. annually. This January, in support of National Mentoring Month, the Michigan Big Brothers Big Sisters Alliance comprised of 16 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies in the state of Michigan, has planned a host of recruitment events and campaigns.  Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore will be hosting a dinner to honor our Bigs.  Littles who have nominated their Big for Big of the Year will read their nomination letter at the dinner.  The agency will be awarding the Big Brother and Big Sister of the year to those individuals who have gone above and beyond to help their Littles become Confident, Competent and Caring individuals.

The goal of each campaign and/or event is to continue to create community awareness of the need for mentors in the respective areas, as well recognize the ongoing commitment of current agency volunteers. Each agency encourages community participation as they look to celebrate the dedication of local mentors and recruit additional volunteers in support of the children waiting for a caring adult mentor.

For more information regarding local Big Brothers Big Sisters National Mentoring Month activities, contact Cindy Timmerman, Executive Director, at 231-789-1391 or cindy@bbbslakeshore.org.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore
Locally Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore has served thousands of children, volunteers and families in Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, Mason and Lake Counties since 1969. The agency currently serves over 165 Littles through traditional one-on-one community based matches and will again serve up to 16 Littles at Edgewood Elementary in Muskegon Heights through a Lunch Buddy’s mentoring program.  For more information visit our website www.bbbslakeshore.org or follow us on Twitter: @BigLilLakeshore and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Brothers-Big-Sisters-of-the-Lakeshore

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