Our Rotary Club was joined by Dena Russell-Marino, Jacque Wellnitz and Karen Belford to provide new insights of our local Big Brothers Big Sisters organization. Dena is a Rotary Club Member and the director of the local chapter, and Karen is also a Rotary Club member and talked about being part of a couples Big with her husband Jim. Big Brothers Big Sisters provides a mentoring relationship with someone older who can make a big impact on the kids participating in the program. Ranging in age from 5 to 17, 25% of the kids participating in the program are in extreme poverty households, and are at-risk. Many kids come into the program with little hope for their future, and many cannot articulate a dream or a goal. When matched with a Big, many experience for the first time a healthy relationship. The kids that are matched with Bigs are more likely to continue in school, have normal peer relationships, hold down a job with a livable wage by age 25, and be more civically engaged as an adult. Jim and Karen Belford together are what is called a Couples Big with the program. They provide consistency and a positive role model for their match. They invite their match over to their home for something as simple as dinner and a movie.
There are 20 matches in Emporia now with a goal to reach 30 matches in 2021. 90 are on the waiting list currently.