‘I’m just head over heels enamored’: Marva Savage shares why she volunteers
Marva Savage listens to a Little speaking during a Hudson Middle School Group Mentoring session on April 9, 2024.
Marva Savage lives by the philosophy of “to whom much is given, much is expected.”
It’s why she finds joy in volunteering. It’s why she sees mentoring as a way to help shape the next generation for the better. And it’s why she’s so deeply involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana (BBBSKY).
Savage is a board member, leader of the Parent Advisory Council, mother to two Littles (youth mentees) and an active Big (mentor).
“I like the fact that Big Brothers Big Sisters has a very inclusive, welcoming approach across the board,” she said. “They want to meet each mentee where they are and help them to be their best self.”
Marva’s Many Hats
A graduate of duPont Manual, Grambling State, and Bellarmine, Savage first got involved with BBBSKY by way of her two youngest children, Chase and Ragan. Both were Littles in BBBSKY’s programs, where Marva saw firsthand the influence a mentor can have on a young person’s life.
“I saw the impact that [Big Brothers Big Sisters] had on them and how they became more confident, more self-assured,” she said of Chase and Ragan. “It has influenced my kids so greatly that I wanted to be able to help facilitate that for future Littles.”
As a registered nurse with UofL Health, Savage has a passion for helping people on and off the clock. She recalled how for a long time, she sought opportunities to get even more involved with BBBSKY’s youth mentoring mission.
“I would always tell the Match Support Specialist that, for any parents that are uneasy or on the fence or just have questions, don’t hesitate to put us in contact with one another. It is absolutely a wonderful program.”
Marva Savage is nominated for the Most Admired Woman awards in the Volunteer category! Tap here to cast your vote.
And when that opportunity arose, Savage did not hesitate.
“I spoke at one of the board meetings and shared my experience with Ragan and Chase. Six months or so after that, they were wanting a parent voice on the board,” Savage recalled. “I absolutely jumped at that opportunity, because I looked at it as a way to help facilitate those matches on a larger scale.”
From there, Savage joined BBBSKY’s Parent Advisory Council, where she helps distribute educational and other resources to parents of matched and waitlisted Littles.
“That, to me, is really important, because we’re able to find out: What are the wants and needs of the parents and our current matches?” Savage said. “That’s just another facet, another way to help enhance the program.”
Most recently, Savage started working as a Big in the new Group Mentoring program at Hudson Middle School, where mentors work with a group of Littles in facilitated sessions after school.
Savage “absolutely loves” Group Mentoring, and even finds herself thinking of the girls at Hudson during weeks when she’s not there.
“I’ll see something and I’ll say things like, ‘So and so would like that, I’m going to pick that up and bring it to the next mentoring session,’” Savage said. “I’m just head-over-heels enamored with the program.”
Moving the needle on mentorship
Savage knows the work at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana is making a difference. She has seen it, not just in her own life with her two youngest kids, but also in the community as a whole.
As a group mentor at Hudson, Savage said looking at her Littles, the impact is clear as day.
“They have different challenges, whether it’s socioeconomic, or support, or resources. But the girls I’ve been able to interact with, I have seen their self-esteem and their confidence blossom. They’re just more assured,” she explained.
“I have seen where the program has been able to move the needle.”
“I see mentoring as a way to pour into the kids. I get so much more in return than I feel like I give.”
“It's just a matter of prioritizing and doing what you're passionate about.”
It may not always be concrete or quantifiable, Savage said, but the impact is there where it matters.
In one of the earlier Group Mentoring sessions, Littles were tasked with creating a dream board where they listed, among other things, their goals, interests, and people or things that have influenced their lives. One of the girls put “Big Brothers Big Sisters.”
“To me, that was huge,” Savage said. “Would they have ever put that on prior to [Group Mentoring]? Probably not. That was evidence that we moved the needle.”
Balance and priorities
With her many hats and increasingly full plate, it may seem to an outsider that Savage is running herself thin between being a mom, a nurse, and a dedicated volunteer. But all it takes, she said, is a little coordination.
“I tend to prioritize the things that are important to me,” Savage said.
While Chase and Ragan were living at home, Savage spent a lot of time pouring into them. Now an empty nester, she’s spreading out her impact. And it has been rewarding to say the least.
“I see mentoring as a way to pour into the other kids. You get so much more in return than I feel like I give,” she said. “It's just a matter of prioritizing and doing what you're passionate about.”
So, why youth mentoring? Why did Savage choose to spend her time giving back to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana specifically?
“They want to meet each mentee where they are and help them to be their best self,” she said.
“I just saw that consistently with Big Brothers Big Sisters, more so than any other organization that I have been affiliated with. It just caused me to really gravitate to their mission.”
Marva Savage is nominated as the Most Admired Volunteer in Today’s Woman Magazine’s 2024 Most Admired Woman awards. You can support her by voting now through April 30th. Votes can be submitted once per hour, per email address!
Group Mentoring is a brand new program that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana launched at Hudson Middle School in West Louisville. Volunteers work with groups of Littles and discuss topics like confidence, conflict resolution, and realizing potential.
‘It’s not the money, it’s the time’
To anyone considering volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana or becoming a Big, Savage’s pitch was simple.
“In the words of Nike: Just Do It,” she laughed. “You have no idea how much of an impact you can have on a child by just spending time with them.”
Simply asking young people things about themselves and doing things with them that they enjoy has an immeasurable impact, Savage said. It may not be evident in the moment, but it all makes the difference.
“All children—all people—want connection. And when you’re able to connect with them and just do basic things… it could be getting a Frosty from Wendy’s and going to the Walking Bridge,” she explained. “It’s the time. It’s not the money, it’s the time.”
For having such a low time commitment, being a Big is a rewarding way to make a difference in your community. Learn more about becoming a volunteer Big with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kentuckiana as we work to help all youth achieve their full potential.