Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region Commemorates National Mentoring Month with Call to Action for Central PA to Empower Local Youth through Mentorship  

BBBS of the Capital Region leads community-wide initiative this January to address the need for mentorship among youth across Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon & Perry Counties.

 

Harrisburg, PA (January 8, 2024) – In alignment with National Mentoring Month, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region [BBBSCR] is putting out an urgent call for new volunteers to help close the mentorship gap for local youth. 

Today, one in three kids in America are growing up without a sustained, positive adult mentor in their lives. The need for youth mentorship is critical in BBBSCR’s 5-county service area, with more than 100 youth on the agency’s wait list for a mentor.

The gap between mentorship and youth who need it most continues to widen due to perceived barriers of the time and expertise needed to become a mentor. This January, BBBSCR is shifting perceptions of mentorship and redefining the little everyday moments that can make a big impact on the lives of young people—time already spent going to a movie, sharing a slice of pizza, and getting coffee. 

Paul Almquist, a BBBSCR mentor, was matched with his Little, Ethan, in 2015 and in June of 2023, he watched as Ethan received a leadership award from his high school JROTC program. “Ethan is so deserving of love and support, and I am truly grateful and honored that I get to be a part of his life and to watch him grow into the strong leader our community needs,” says Almquist.

Throughout January, BBBSCR will highlight the power of little moments and the experience of being a mentor through their social media and community engagement. The organization plans to recognize and celebrate several volunteer mentors who have made a life-changing impact on their Littles. Additionally, the nonprofit arranged for the State Capitol Complex to be illuminated in green (facing State Street) this week, January 8-15, in appreciation of the positive impact mentors make in the lives of youth across Pennsylvania.

For National Mentoring Month, BBBSCR also invites the community to share their most pivotal mentorship moments, no matter how big or small, on all social media channels using the hashtag #BeBig and tagging @BBBSCapRegion. This tapestry of stories is part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s digital storytelling initiative, “A Million Little Moments,” serving as a testament to the significant impact and universality of mentorship moments.

Almquist shares, “Due to BBBS daily efforts and dedication, they are offering kids something I feel they are missing, something I missed growing up as well, and that’s someone to listen to them and support them. BBBS gave me the opportunity to support Ethan.”

“I encourage others to take the next steps to help the kids in our communities by supporting them,” says Almquist. “These kids need us to show up for them. We all can change our communities for the better, one Little at a time.”

To learn more about becoming a mentor and bridging the gap between people and possibility visit CAPBIGS.ORG.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region (BBBSCR) creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. For over 40 years, BBBSCR has kept its promise by expertly crafting and maintaining compatible mentoring matches between Littles (at-risk youth) and Bigs (mature volunteers) in the Capital Region. Our commitment includes using evidence-based best practices to achieve personalized outcomes and supporting matches throughout their life (one to ten-plus years). Contributions in all forms are vital to fulfilling the agency’s mission. BBBSCR is a 501(c)(3) charity, registered with the PA Bureau of Charities, and an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. For more information, visit the BBBSCR website at www.capbigs.org.