You can add some sparkle to September at the Diamond Jubilee for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona (BBBSSA) at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23, at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, 7000 N. Resort Drive.
“We are celebrating 60 years with diamonds, so it is a great excuse to get dressed up and wear as much sparkle as you like. It will be a beautiful event and we are going to have so much fun,” said Ashley Stewart, chair of the gala and a member of the board of directors for BBBSSA.
The milestone event seeks to raise at least $225,000 for the nonprofit that provides one-to-one, adult-to-child mentoring to help young people achieve their highest potential.
It also offers referral services, parent training and support to the parents and families of children involved in the program. And it partners with community organizations to provide educational and recreational activities for the kids.
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The mentees (known as “Littles”) have diverse economic, social and cultural backgrounds: 71% live in a home without one or both parents, and 69% are from low-income households. Many have faced challenges, such as parents who are incarcerated and/or placement in the foster care system. Others are from two-parent families.
“There are no qualifiers with our programs. They are free and all a child needs is a desire to be matched. We believe every child who wants a ‘Big’ (adult mentor) should have one. Every child can use one more—or for some, the only—positive role model to lean on in times of need who will understand and encourage them,” said Veronica Saiz, Director of Marketing and Corporate Engagement for BBBSSA.
BBBSSA programs include not only traditional, community-based mentoring but also a High School Leadership Program that pairs student Bigs with Littles from elementary schools in Safford, Arizona, to provide assistance with homework and socialization.
Additionally, the Mentor 2.0 program is a site-based initiative for students at Tucson High School, Sunnyside High School and eighth graders at Apollo Middle School. The program currently serves 60 students, and more than 40 are currently awaiting matches. The program will serve 120 students during the 2023-2024 school year, with 40 students currently awaiting matches. Bigs are also needed for the community-based program; about 75% of the 65 children in need of matches are male.
“We utilize the Mentor 2.0 environment to capture older kids who are not as likely to come to us. We need volunteers specifically for that program and are matching in September to start as soon as possible. The gala will not only help fund our programs but also promotes awareness about our mission and our very urgent need for volunteers,” said Saiz.
She said that Mentor 2.0 can be a good option for adults with limited time since it requires a consistent, pre-scheduled commitment of one day each month during the school year.
“We emphasize that it is about the quality of time spent and not the quantity,” said Saiz.
That quality has proven transformational, according to Saiz.
According to a 2022 BBBS Youth Outcome Survey, mentoring resulted in measurable outcomes: 100% of Littles reported improved positive relationships with peers, while 96% reported improved positive relationships with parent/family and a desire to avoid risky behavior.
Stewart has first-hand knowledge of the effectiveness of Mentor 2.0.
She served as a Big through the program and then transitioned to community-based mentoring for her Little, who is now 20.
“It was very rewarding. We are here for the children we mentor, but they are here for us, too. We build a relationship and it is great to see life through the eyes of someone who is much younger. It reminds you where you once were and gives you more perspective on everything that is happening in our community,” said Stewart, an insurance advisor for the Mahoney Group.
A member of the board of directors of CREW Tucson and one of Tucson’s 40 Under 40 in 2022, Stewart has frequently volunteered with youth-related causes, including the El Rio Vecinos. She has also raised funds for BBBSSA through So AZ Bigs Team Defenders in El Tour de Tucson for the past five years.
Ultimately, her efforts are all about the kids.
“They are the next generation. Through mentorship, we enable them to start off their lives with advantages by learning from our experiences. It helps provide tools that close achievement and opportunity gaps and gives them a leg up,” said Stewart.
