During a press conference on Wednesday, July 13, at City Hall, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Georgia announced its 70 in 70 Campaign. The goal is to gain 70 new mentors – or “bigs” as they’re called – in 70 days.
“We have thousands of youth in Macon-Bibb who need a positive role model,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Georgia President & CEO Betsy Fitzgerald. “We currently have 229 kids on our waiting list, with the majority being male. Every day we receive new youth applications and referrals, and our waiting list continues to grow.”
“It’s fulfilling in the sense that I know I am playing a major role in the lives of these young men. Mentoring is very easy. We just have to be ourselves,” said mentor Daryl Hughes. “All you have to do is make that call to Big Brothers Big Sisters. That’s what I did in 2018 and since then it has been very rewarding.”
Mayor Lester Miller and other County leaders were in attendance to support the campaign, which is being made possible through $50,000 in grant money from the Community Foundation of Central Georgia through the Macon Violence Prevention initiative.
“We need to make sure our children have our full support in our community,” said Mayor Lester Miller. “A lot of the times we’re pointing the fingers at them, but they are our children and our future. So, we need to step up and mentor them and steer them in the right direction.”
The number 70 was selected in celebration of the organization’s 70th anniversary.
The goal is to serve more children and teenagers, and increase positive outcomes by matching them with an adult who will ignite their full potential. The nonprofit organization is seeking adults of all ages and backgrounds to mentor. There are no education or work experience requirements.
“We need dedicated people who are passionate about helping our community’s youth and being a reliable person in their life,” said Fitzgerald. “We look for people who share our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion who can commit to carrying out our mission of defending and affirming the potential of all youth, regardless of ability, age, cultural background, ethnicity, faith, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ideology, socioeconomic status, national origin, race or sexual orientation.”
If you’d like to apply to be a Big, can call 478-745-3984, email mentor@bbbsga.org, or can visit the application directly at https://bbbs.tfaforms.net/4843107. You must be over the age of 21 and able to commit to meeting with your Little a couple times a month for at least one year. We also ask that you:
- have reliable transportation
- plan to live at your address for at least 1 year
- consent to a criminal background check
- be drug-free
The quality of the time you invest with your Little is more important than the amount of money you spend. That’s why we don’t encourage spending a lot of money on your outings. The goal of the relationship is to help your Little see the world through a different lens so you can inspire them to become something they never thought possible. If you are going to spend money, we encourage you to seek out low-cost activities, especially in the beginning. Play a game together or share that pizza you were going to have for lunch anyway. As a Big, you will also receive notices for free tickets to cultural and sports activities and other events for you both to enjoy.