YOU CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD…

All over west central Illinois there are vulnerable children who may not be able to reach their full potential in growing up, children who may be homeless, children of abuse, children growing up in poverty, children and youth who lack inspiration and experience to move beyond their daily survival to experience positive youth development.

Without caring adult support during the crucial times in their life, children will be ill equipped to develop their skills and knowledge to become an important contributor to their community’s future and to shape their destiny.

It has been proven that the One-To-One Mentoring program impacts positively on children’s school attendance and academic performance, diminishes violent behavior, and delays the use of drugs and alcohol.

If you ever doubted the positive impact of one-to-one mentoring, just ask one of our Little Brothers or Little Sisters. Or investigate the research. Public/Private Ventures, a national research organization with more than 20 years in studying child development and social services issues, recently conducted a study of Big Brother and Big Sister mentoring on youth. The results are heartwarming and show specifically that BBBS one-to-one mentoring helps at-risk youth overcome the many challenges they face. Little Brothers and Little Sisters who met with their Big Brothers or Sisters for at least one year were:

· 46% less likely to start using drugs;

· 27% less likely to start drinking;

· 52% less likely to skip a day of school

· 37% less likely to skip class;

· More confident in their schoolwork performance;

· Able to get along better with their families.

· One-third less likely to hit someone