Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana celebrating 120th anniversary of national agency with push for 120 new mentors
Louisville, KY (September 3, 2024) — Every September, Big Brothers Bigs Sisters of Kentuckiana (BBBSKY) recognizes the impact of its programming, mentorship, and matches during Big Brothers Big Sisters Month. This year marks the 120th anniversary of the national Big Brothers Big Sisters agency’s founding.
With 20 million BBBS alumni worldwide, the stories of volunteer mentors (Bigs) and their youth mentees (Littles) make up the foundation of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ impact and longevity.
This September, BBBSKY is shifting perceptions of mentorship and redefining the little everyday moments that make a big impact on the lives of young people—time already spent going to a movie, sharing a slice of pizza, or getting coffee.
The agency is inviting the community to get involved with their mentorship mission with a call to recruit 120 new mentors (“Bigs”) by the end of 2024. Community members interested in becoming a Big can visit bbbsky.org/ittakes2 to learn more and sign up.
“The impact mentorship has on our community is far-reaching. Workforce development, mental health, violence prevention—mentorship pulls it all together,” said Gary Friedman, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana. “Simply having someone in your corner has a life-changing impact on both the mentor and the mentee.”
Being a Big takes just a couple hours of time each month, and the impact of mentorship on Littles cannot be understated. 100% of mentored youth avoid involvement with police and the juvenile justice system, 100% graduate high school on time, and 86% report improved mental health.
For Big Brothers Big Sisters Month, BBBSKY also invites the community to support youth mentorship during Give for Good Louisville, Kentuckiana’s most generous day of giving. All donations made Thursday, September 12th will be matched, up to $15,000.
BBBSKY is also honored to host the 2024 Big Brothers Big Sisters Regional Conference this month, where several agencies from across the South and Midwest will convene on the Galt House in Louisville to advance programmatic excellence highlight youth safety and well-being, and champion its Justice Equity Diversity & Inclusion (JEDI) initiative.
You can learn more about supporting the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana by visiting bbbsky.org.