Wanted: A Few Good Men

Recently, I was told by a local Big Brother/Big Sister caseworker that the average boy placed in their program sits on a waiting list for nearly two years before being matched with a Big Brother. Two years. The reason is not paperwork but a lack of male adult volunteers. While girls are nearly matched with a mentor from day one, boys wait.

Started in 1904, Big Brother/Big Sister of America has grown to be the leading organization for child-adult mentoring in all fifty states. Their website (which can be found on the links page) boasts 500 programs strong.

The premise of the program is to match a child/teen from a single family home with an adult of the same sex as a mentor. The adult is to be there for the child as a "big brother/sister" would be-- to have fun, listen to, cheer him on, help with homework, whatever. He is required to spend a minimum of four hours a month with the child. The program offers sponsored outings and events to help "Bigs" reach that limit. Each pairing is closely monitored by a caseworker.

I urge you to look into this program if you are looking to make the difference in the life of a child-- male or female. But don't do it if you cannot make the small commitment. Dustin, 13, waited for 17 months to get a Big Brother. They met at a sponsored event and had a great time. Dustin's Big called him once, picked him up and took him to watch him play baseball (which was better than going to a pro game to this kid to see his mentor hit a home run,) and then he disappeared. Dustin called him before every event the next few months to see if he was going, and his wife spoke for him each time. He didn't even have the guts to talk to him himself. Today, Dustin is back on the waiting list.

If you want to find out more about the process to be a Big, check out their website or your local office. You don't have to be rich or a saint or have hours upon hours of free time on your hands. You just have to have the desire to make a difference in the world-- one child at a time.

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