Birmingham, AL- January is National Mentoring Month, spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project of the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership and the Corporation for National and Community Service.  Big Brothers Big Sisters is a partner nationally and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham is looking forward to a month full of outreach, recruitment and awareness encouraging youth mentoring in Central Alabama.

            Big Brothers Big Sisters is not only a one to one youth mentoring organization but a movement with a role for all citizens.  There are many ways to support what our movement achieves -- results that make a real difference in children’s lives, increasing the chances that they will succeed in school, solve problems without violent behavior, and avoid drugs and other illegal activities.  In addition to those who get involved as a Big Brother or Big Sister, the movement also includes corporate partners, event volunteers, professional advisors, private donors, board members and others willing to do what they can to provide support.  It is a community movement of many diverse people who make it possible for match specialists to provide support to the caring, generous volunteers whose friendships with children in need yield those remarkable results.

            With growing economic pressures on families and communities across America and at home in Birmingham, the need for all citizens to join the movement is urgent.  Children are facing risks that lead to soaring drop out rates, violence and crime; -- what we achieve – how we improve the odds that children will succeed -- is extremely relevant. 

            With that in mind, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham, in recognition of National Mentoring Month, would like to encourage Central Alabamians to support the movement to help our children grow up in Greater Birmingham, despite whether their role is mentoring or helping children beat the odds and break negative cycles in some other way. 

     Take one little brother from North Birmingham named Johnny. Johnny wanted to make a difference after finding his younger cousin was diagnosed with cancer. He began donating a portion of his allowance to the American Cancer Society each week. Shortly after, Johnny’s Big Brother Sam offered to match his little brother’s donations to the American Cancer Society and helped him set up donation jars at his school to collect more money for cancer research. “I really want this to work,“ said Sam, “so [he] can see how one person’s good doings…can make a difference in the world. I am amazed how selfless and caring for others he is; he has been as good an influence on me as I have been to him.”

            It’s little moments like these that truly make big magic. Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors, the “Bigs,” as we call them, are making a remarkable difference in the Birmingham community.  The Bigs in our network are young college graduates, middle-aged blue collar workers, corporate managers and executives, retirees, athletes, artists – a diverse group of individuals who care about how our children are growing up in our community. There are currently 218 “Littles” waiting to be matched so this Mentoring Month we invite the Birmingham Community to support our efforts and discover the importance of youth mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters. For more information visit us online at www.bbbsbhm.org or call 205-939-5590.

Sue Johnson, CEO

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Birmingham

205-939-5590, sjohnson@bbbsbhm.org