Dear Defender,
If you landed here - YOU rock!
Every child deserves to realize their full potential.
At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois we help children do just that by placing a caring adult in their life to provide one to one mentorship.
Our goal is to recruit 60 Bigs in 30 days.
From June 1st through June 30th we need your help to end the wait for children in the Metro East through our Be YOUnique recruitment campaign.
Being a mentor to a child doesn’t take special skills. You just have to be YOU. You already have what it takes. There are over 50 kids waiting for a mentor in our area who need your unique life experience to ignite their potential.
We believe in a world in which all kids graduate high school, with a plan for the future and a mentor whose impact lasts a lifetime. Thank you for stepping up and joining our movement!
Together we are Defenders of Potential.
BIG Heros
Big Heroes is a Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois (BBBSIL) initiative focused on recruiting volunteers – Big Brothers, Big Sisters, and Big Couples – who work as first responders to be adult mentors to BBBSIL youth ages 6-14.
By matching first response professionals (e.g., firefighters, EMTs, law enforcement officers, military service members) with young people as one-to-one mentors, Big Heroes aims to help build strong, trusting, and enduring relationships between first responders and the youth, families, and communities they serve.
And like all BBBSIL programs, the goal of Big Heroes is ensuring that children and teenagers grow up with love, hope and opportunity; the initiative works toward that vision by connecting young people across Southwestern Illinois with caring, consistent adults.
Our Impact
Our evidence-based Big Heroes program builds social and emotional support, confidence and resilience that help to ensure young people.
LITTLES ARE CONFIDENT
THEY CAN SAY NO TO DRUGS,
VIOLENCE, AND SKIPPING SCHOOL
LITTLES HAVE BETTER GRADES,
ACADEMIC GOALS, AND CONFIDENCE
LITTLES FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG
BIG Couples
Are you looking for opportunities to serve your community alongside your spouse or kids? Our Big Couples make a lasting difference in their Littles' lives—and your lives are changed as well! You can choose to do things individually or as a group. Like the traditional program, one adult will meet your Little Brother at least 4-12 hours per month. To ensure the best possible outcomes, you need to plan to commit to one (1) year, but we’d love it if you plan to commit for longer.