The Need is Urgent

Big Brothers needs men like you or, if you're a woman, like men you know and love to step up to the plate.

Across Canada, September is Big Brothers Big Sisters Month, and here in Niagara, it's also kickoff time. Kickoff time for an ambitious, no-holds-barred campaign to sign up an additional 100 Big Brothers in one year.

"1 Year 100 Men," as the campaign is called, addresses a severe shortage of Big Brothers in Niagara.

Throughout the region, more than 250 boys "enough for almost 30 baseball teams" are waiting for Big Brothers now. The average wait for boys to be matched with a Big Brother can be up to 12-14 months. Some boys wait up to two years.

"A two-year wait is shocking," says Dale Davis, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters St. Catharines-Thorold and District. "If people knew about it, most would find it unacceptable. I'm confident that Niagara has at least 100 good men who will become Big Brothers in response to this appeal."

Keep in mind, the need is not to adopt these boys, Davis says. Nor is it to parent them.

Rather, the need is simply to mentor them, showing them in the clearest way possible "through the gift of relationship" that they matter, that people care, that life is good.

In addition to one-on-one mentoring, Big Brothers Big Sisters offers various opportunities for mentoring in group settings. Either way, Big Brothers and Big Sisters invest in the lives of young people, many of whom come from lone-parent families and all of whom need positive role models.

"In light of the current crisis, with more than 250 boys waiting for matches and a rising number of lone-parent families in Niagara, we're asking for Big Brothers like we've never asked before," says Jon Braithwaite, Executive Director of Niagara Falls Big Brothers Big Sisters. "These boys need mentors, and I know mentors are out there. We need Niagara men to come forward and make a difference now."

The Countdown is on. Please be one of the 100, Contact Us Today!

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