New partnerships, programs bring mentoring to more children

At Big Brothers Big Sisters we believe that the entire community is better served when we work with other local organizations to solve a challenge. As an agency, we strive to ensure that we are reaching out to the greater community in order to maximize positive impact on children. In addition, because most non-profits have limited resources, we seek to partner to maximize our collective impact.

We’re proud to announce the following new initiatives:

• We are partnering with Kalamazoo Public Safety, Michigan State Police, and Western Michigan University Public Safety to launch a Bigs in Badges program. This program will match members of law enforcement with elementary school students in Kalamazoo, Schoolcraft and Gobles.
• Another new program , Bigs in the City, is in partnership with employees from the City of Kalamazoo. By partnering with local public service officials, we are providing an opportunity to give back to children in our community and help the children learn more about careers in a variety of helping professions.
• We are teaming with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Kalamazoo to provide mentors to children in their after-school program on Lake Street. Through this partnership, we will provide additional support and opportunities to the children who attend the Boys and Girls Club’s after-school programs, while also bringing together the resources of two agencies dedicated to improving the quality of life for youth in our community.
• Through a new partnership with OutFront Kalamazoo, we are matching youth who identify as LGBTQ with LGBTQ adults in the new Big Pride program. The Bigs will be able to help the Littles navigate the challenges associated with “coming out” during their teen years. We know that LGBTQ teens are at greater risk for depression, suicide, and substance use, so providing them with an additional, caring adult who understands is an important component in their overall well-being and success in life.

Thank you to all of our community partners for teaming with us to improve the lives of our children. Together, we are helping them change their lives for the better.