By Marlene Williams, Board Member, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County
I am so grateful to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County for its positive impact on the Black children in our community. Since the inception of the organization, where I proudly have served as a board member for five years, we have created thousands of professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships with the Black children in our community.
The impact is BIG. All the Little Brothers and Sisters in our program have higher aspirations, achieve greater confidence, create better relationships, demonstrate improved educational success and, as a result, become much less likely to engage in risky behaviors. The lasting relationships we create often change the trajectory of our children’s lives, empowering them to achieve their full potential and ultimately shape their future and community more positively.
Today at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County, 66 percent of the Little Brothers and Sisters we serve identify themselves as Black or Biracial. By comparison, only 26 percent of our volunteer mentors identify as Black or Biracial. Currently, 56 percent of our wait list – or 462 children – are Black or Biracial.
The data collected over Big Brother Big Sisters of America’s 110+ year history of serving the community shows that parents and guardians typically prefer mentors who share the same background and gender as their children. Because of this, our Black Little Brothers and Sisters often have to wait longer for a mentor.
The bottom line is that we need more Black mentors.
It’s time to solve this problem. We invite all Black adults to step up and meet this increased need for our kids by becoming Big Brothers or Big Sisters. We need you. Our children need you.
