HEART OF ILLINOIS BIG BROTHERS/BIG SISTERS
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Mission Statement
The Big Brothers Big Sisters mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
About This Cause
HOIBBBS serves Peoria, Tazewell, Woodford, Knox, Fulton, Marshall and Stark counties. For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and children ("Littles"), ages 7 through 14, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people. Big Brothers Big Sisters provides mentoring services to clients in two ways. The first is Community-based mentoring, where the mentor and child meet outside of school hours – usually evenings or weekends. The second option is School-based mentoring, where mentors visit with their child once weekly during the school day. Both options require the same screening, training, and ongoing support for both mentor and the child’s family. Children are referred to our program for various reasons, most commonly: • From single-parent homes, most often a single mother with children • Low income homes • Low self-esteem, academic issues, behavior issues • Exposure to violence, criminal activity or the incarceration of a parent We strive to make a positive difference in the lives of children and youth, primarily through a professionally supported one-to-one relationship with a caring adult, and to assist them in achieving their highest potential as they grow to become responsible men and women. HOIBBBS serves approximately 400 youth annually, and we believe that mentors can provide these children hope. Mentoring develops many positive assets in children that are absolutely critical to their well-being. It is also a proven method for preventing negative behaviors. Public/Private Ventures has published several landmark studies on the effectiveness of mentoring programs. This independent research solidified our Big Brothers Big Sisters method as the gold standard for mentoring. These findings confirmed that children matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister are: • 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs • 27% less likely to begin using alcohol • 52% less likely to skip school and 37% less likely to skip a class • More confident of their performance on schoolwork • One-third less likely to resort to violence to solve a problem • Better equipped to get along more effectively within their individual families The purpose of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to help children develop attributes that will help them find success in life. Through the mentoring relationships we are helping the children in our program: • Graduate from high school • Avoid involvement in the juvenile justice system • Go to college or gain employment as contributing members of our community