(New Philadelphia, Ohio) – Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Ohio is proudly celebrating 50 years as a local agency.
Founded in 1973, the agency began for single-parent families with kids ages 8-18, with a focus on males without fathers. At that time, Big brothers, Big sisters were only available for children in the Dover/New Philadelphia area. However, the need for mentors grows and the program becomes county-wide very quickly. In 1982 the agency officially registers as ‘Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Ohio’ with the national program.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is the only mentoring program that is evidence-based, which means what they provide is measurable and needed. Students involved in school-based programs have earned better grades, more confidence, and better social and emotional behaviors. The community-based program which goes beyond the school has impacted many children’s lives in big ways. Many past “littles” have become some of the best members of our society- working, raising families, and helping their neighbors. In the community-based program, mentors meet with their mentees once a week for 1 hour at a time. The relationship that comes from a match is one of the strongest in a child’s life, and the employees work hard to make sure the matches are a good fit.
The agency plans to focus on the future while celebrating the past during this monumental year. Expect big excitement during their usual events which begin with Cheers for Charity on February 18th, 2022. Cheers for Charity is a newer event that combines a steak dinner, a euchre tournament, and raffles for a fun evening. For more information on Cheers for Charity or other events visit www.bigs4kids.com.
BBBSECO is still looking for past employees, board members, “bigs”, and “littles” to share their stories and experiences of how the agency has impacted them. If you would like to share a story please email Christine at clyon@bigs4kids.com or call 330.339.6916 ext 135.
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About Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Ohio
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 charitable organization with eight paid employees and two types of mentoring programs: Community-based Mentoring and School-based Mentoring.
Stand with us to positively impact a child’s life; donate or volunteer today at http://www.bigs4kids.com.
