Growing up is hard. And thousands of kids right here in Ocean County are doing it without the support systems that many of us enjoyed as children. We have a solution that WORKS.
With your help, we can change the lives of 100 of these kids IMMEDIATELY, by matching them with an adult mentor – a BIG Brother or BIG Sister. Someone to listen, provide advice, help with homework, give encouragement! Each of these 100 kids needs just ONE caring adult to help them LEARN their worth – to find out how valuable and capable they really are and find the strength to resist temptations and succeed into adulthood.
It costs approximately $1200 per year to match a well-screened adult to a child in need of support (a LITTLE), and to monitor that match. If $1200 seems like a lot, please consider that many LITTLES who are waiting for a BIG are being raised by grandparents or guardians. Many have parents who are incarcerated or battling addiction. Substance abuse is taking a heavy toll in our area, and much of the emotional cost is borne by the kids. Some of our LITTLES are dealing with bullying at school and other challenges that may simply be more than an exhausted single working parent can handle alone.
Please donate today! Better yet, JOIN THE TEAM: Tell family and friends that you’re taking action to help the kids in your own community and ask for their help to make a match together - with a goal of $1200!
Our local program has 21 years of success behind it, and hundreds of former LITTLES now making their way in the world with confidence, against the odds! The local business community supports and believes in the power of BBBSOC’s programs. LITTLES in our program are eligible to attend Ocean County College free of charge after high school graduation, in order to obtain a degree to further their opportunities as adults. LITTLES can also take lessons in the arts – instruments, voice, acting, dance – all complimentary and in the areas in which they live.
Our staff are trained counselors, and they have monthly calls and visits with the child, the child’s parent or guardian and the BIG Brother or BIG Sister. Bigs spend time with their Littles – the average pair gets together at least twice a month and communicates between visits.
Our results are closely tracked, and we KNOW that our local program CHANGES THE LIVES OF LITTLES through increased self-confidence, academic improvement, and avoidance of involvement with juvenile justice system. On this last measure, ours is a preventive program: The Juvenile Justice Policy Institute estimated the cost of confinement of one juvenile per year in NJ at almost $200,000 in 2014. There is no reason to think that cost has decreased, yet prevention – providing a LITTLE with a BIG through our program – costs ONLY $1200 per child per year. The money provides the support to make and monitor the matches, yet the magic in what BBBSOC does is to help grow LITTLES into confident, well-adjusted, productive adults, several of whom become have become BIGS themselves to pay it forward.
Please help us reach our goal – any amount makes a difference!
501 (c) (3) #31-1596917
