Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona is giving the green light to mentoring with a month of fundraising and awareness campaigns, including An Evening in Emerald Gala Dinner & Auction next month at Loews Ventana Canyon Resort.
“We are excited to sport our green. When you look at the symbolism of emeralds, they are rare gems that require the right conditions for creation and our mentoring relationships are like that. They bring two people together, who, in ordinary circumstances, might never have met. Our program creates opportunities for friendships and relationships that are changing lives for our families,” said Veronica Saiz, Director of Marketing & Corporate Engagement for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona (BBBSSA).
That change is proven. Research from a BBBS study shows that “Littles” (or mentees) have significantly improved earnings and economic mobility. They are 20 percent more likely to attend college and earn 15 percent more over their lifetimes.
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BBBSSA is facilitating mentorships for about 400 children ages 6 through high school in Tucson and surrounding areas as well as Graham and Greenlee Counties. More than 200 Littles are currently awaiting matches with “Bigs” (mentors in the program). The Mentoring Activity Center, which is slated to open this fall on the BBBSSA Angel Charity for Children Mentoring Campus, will provide immediate service to children on the waiting list through interactions with potential mentors, cookings classes, tutoring, STEM activities, and arts and crafts.
About 90 percent of the children awaiting mentors are boys, so BBBSSA is promoting the need for men volunteers as well as “Big Couples.” Couples, who are typically matched with a boy, must be in a committed relationship for at least two years and reside together.
“We are trying to be more intentional about publicizing Big Couples. We have a handful of them now and they are very impactful for the children ... they can do activities together and sometimes if one is unavailable, the other can do something one-on-one with their Little. It provides an example of a healthy relationship and additional support for the young person,” Saiz said.
Callie and Joseph Patterson are one such example.
The Big Couple, who relocated to Tucson two years ago from Nashville, was matched with 14-year old Aayden about ten months ago.
It is the culmination of a plan Callie launched after learning about Big Brothers Big Sisters while performing community service as an athlete at Trevecca Nazarene University.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters caught my eye and stuck with me. I thought it was really cool to see the Bigs and Littles together and knew it was something I wanted to do. After we moved here and settled in, we felt we have the time and ability to give back now,” Callie said.
For Joseph, it is a chance to pay forward his experience with a Tennessee mentorship program he benefited from during his youth.
“I saw the benefits of having a mentor or someone to talk to and wanted to provide that for someone else ... it is one more person for Aayden to come to if he doesn’t feel comfortable talking to his mom or grandma or another family member. We are not too much older than he is and can share our experiences and share what we were going through in high school and how we got through this stage or that,” Joseph said.
The Big Couple meet twice monthly with their Little, enjoying adventures and activities such as bowling, paddleball, basketball, indoor rock climbing, Jumping Cholla Trampoline Park, Funtasticks Family Fun Park and more.
“We have talked about going on a hike and try to do things we all enjoy, but also things he has never done. We do things he loves and also try to introduce him to new things,” Joseph said.
They encourage other couples to consider matching with a Little and emphasize that the volunteer time has been very doable for them.
“It is not a huge time commitment: You can do what you are comfortable with. It is flexible depending on our schedule and his,” Callie said.
Ultimately, they agree that it has been a great experience that has inspired them to continue with community service.
“We have both learned and grown much. I am grateful for being matched with Aayden. Our pairing was perfect. It very beneficial for us to be part of his life and for him to be part of ours,” Joseph said.
For Callie, it has also been an opportunity to make connections and expand their “family” in Tucson.
“It is so much fun. We really enjoy spending time with Aayden and are building a relationship with his family, so it has been a really good experience for all of us. . .sharing life together is pretty cool,” she said.
