The organization was founded in 1996. There are 50 kids on the waiting list to have a big brother or big sister and 80 to 90% of them are boys. The vision of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program is successful mentoring relationships for all children who need and want them, contributing to brighter futures, better schools, and stronger communities for all. The child might lack an adult role in his/her life, might be bullied or on the flip-side be the bully him/herself, might not be social and lack friends, etc. There are many reasons why children need a big brother or big sister in their life and you can be that person for them to look up to. You can teach them other ways to solve their problems rather than violence, you can teach them that they can achieve their goals and dreams, you can uplift their spirits and raise their self-esteem, and you can help these kids through tough times.

The process: You must fill out a resume and submit it to the organzition. The resume will be looked at and all of your reference will be called. It usually takes about a month to find out if you've been accepted or declined. Once you're accepted, you will have to have a background check. You then will be asked if you have a preference of a particular gender, age, and race of the child that you would want to be assigned to. They will then look at the children on the waiting list and find the best fit for you. If they feel like none of the children they have would fit your profile then they will go to a school and "recruit" a student. They will tell the school what kind of child they are looking for and the school will find the most suitable child for you. It takes at least a month for your little sister/brother to be found, but the call will be made as soon as possible. It takes longer for the Big Sisters to get a phone call because there is a large number of Big Sisters but not enought Little Sisters. Big Sisters can have Little Brothers but Big Brothers can't have Little Sisters. You must work with the same child for at least a year because it takes that long to build a healthy relationship.

If you would like to volunteer please call:

Katie Roemer Program Director BBBS of McLean County (309)828-1870