Today: Big Brothers Big Sisters Open House

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central New Mexico is hosting a mentoring month open house today, Thursday, January 24, 2008, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at their headquarters at 5400 Phoenix NE in Albuquerque. Refreshments will be served and there will be a recognition ceremony at 6:00 PM. Meet Big Brother Big Sister staff, volunteers and community partners and learn how you can get involved. For more info, call Irene at 837-9223, extension 41. Click for an invitation (pdf). BBBS describe their organization and what they achieve this way:

Since 1969, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central New Mexico has been creating magic in people's lives.  BBBS works to help boys and girls achieve their potential by matching them one-to-one in positive relationships with adult volunteers. A volunteer does not need any special skills to be a Big Brother or Big Sister. They only need to be interested in sharing special moments with a child. Just by sharing experiences, celebrating accomplishments, and listening to a child's concerns, a Big Brother or Big Sister can make a difference in the life of a child.

Who Our Littles Are
Youth ages 6-18 will benefit from a one-to-one friendship with a positive adult.

• Ninety-five percent are from single parent families.
• Ninety percent are low-income.
• Eighty-three percent are minorities.

The Difference We Make
A recent study conducted by a national research firm (Public/Private Ventures (PP/V)) examined the impact of our program on youth and found that when compared to their peers, Little Brothers and Little Sisters who met with their Big Brothers or Sisters for at least one year were:

• 46% less likely to start using drugs;
• 27% less likely to start drinking;
• 33% less likely to act violently;
• 52% less likely to skip a day of school, and earned higher grades.

Almost across the board these outcomes are higher for minority youth. For example:

• Minority boys are 67% less likely to start using drugs; and
• Minority girls are 72% less likely to start using drugs.

You can learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters at their website