Big Brothers and Big Sisters

Goal: $5,000.00

Specific Need

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Family Services has reignited the BBBS program in Crawford County!

We are thrilled to celebrate our eighth match in Crawford County and continue bringing the power of mentoring to local youth. As the #1 mentoring program in the nation, Big Brothers Big Sisters creates and supports life-changing relationships that help young people reach their full potential.

Our goal for Crawford Gives is to raise $5,000. These funds will help support staff who recruit, train, and guide volunteers while ensuring the program continues to grow and thrive in Crawford County. The funds will also support six match support events throughout the year, where Bigs and Littles can come together to participate in fun activities, build friendships, and connect with other matches. Each event costs between $250 and $500, depending on the activity.

What makes the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program so impactful is our evidence-based program model. BBBS staff work closely with each match, providing ongoing support and guidance to help foster strong, healthy, and lasting relationships between Bigs and Littles. It costs approximately $1,200 per year for BBBS staff to support just one match, ensuring that every Big and Little receive the resources, communication, training, and match support needed to build a successful mentoring relationship. This commitment to quality mentoring is what creates meaningful outcomes for the young people we serve.

Every dollar raised through Crawford Gives helps us provide these critical services and expand mentoring opportunities for children in Crawford County.

Join Hannah Fuller and the Big Brothers Big Sisters staff as we reignite mentoring in Crawford County and create more opportunities for local youth to thrive. Your support will help us build brighter futures—one match at a time.

Donate today and help us reach our $5,000 goal!

Mission

The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Family Services of NW PA is to create and support mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters program offers a unique relationship to children beginning at the age of 6 through young adulthood, matching them with an adult who shares common interests. The role of the volunteer is to be an adult companion, positive role model, friend, listener, instructor, resource, and guide.

Profile

How does Big Brothers Big Sisters work?

Volunteers are matched through common interests in hopes that the volunteer is able to enhance the child's life as well as broaden their horizons. Volunteers are trained to look for teachable moments to develop social, academic, physical skills as well as introduce new hobbies, cultural, recreational, and environmental experiences. (Click here to learn more about becoming a Big: https://bbbs.fsnwpa.org/)

Many of our matches become life-long friends and children that participate in the program often grow up to become mentors themselves.

Who can volunteer?

Anyone over the age of 18 in Erie or Western Crawford County can become a volunteer mentor. The main requirement is a willingness to be a caring, consistent, and safe role model with a desire to have a positive impact on a child.

How successful is the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program?

Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) mentoring programs have demonstrated significant positive impacts on youth. Mentored youth are less likely to initiate drug or alcohol use, exhibit antisocial behavior, and are more engaged in school. They also show improvements in academic performance, family relationships, and self-confidence. 

Specific Success Metrics:

• Substance Abuse:

  Youth in BBBS programs are 46% less likely to start using drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking alcohol, compared to their non-mentored peers, according to the Office of Justice Programs. 

• Antisocial Behavior:

  Mentored youth are 32% less likely to engage in antisocial behaviors like hitting someone or damaging property. 

• Academic Performance:

  BBBS mentees show improvements in grades, are less likely to skip school, and feel more confident in their schoolwork. 

• Family Relationships:

  BBBS programs positively impact the quality of relationships between youth and their parents. 

• School Engagement:

  Mentored youth show greater engagement with school and are less likely to drop out. 

• Self-Control and Social Skills:

  Studies indicate improvements in self-control, social skills, and grit among mentored youth. 

• Arrests and Delinquency:

  One study showed that youth in BBBS programs were 54% less likely to be arrested and 41% less likely to engage in substance use after 18 months. 

• Match Longevity:

  In 2019, over 71% of Community-Based matches lasted at least 12 months, with an average match length of 31 months.