Big Brothers Big Sisters in desperate need of mentor volunteers
SALISBURY, Md. – On the Eastern Shore of Maryland there’s over 100 kids who are waiting for someone to take a chance on them, someone who can be a mentor and help them through tough times.
“The single biggest thing we need is someone who is willing to stand alongside a child and show that they can be what they want to be,” explains Robert McClure, outreach specialist for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Eastern Shore.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is in desperate need of mentors those who can spend four hours a month with kids who are facing adversity here on the shore.
McClure explains, “Some of the kids are coming from single parent homes, some of them are having behavioral issues in school, some are struggling with grades, some of them are being bullied.”
Right now there are 140 kids across the Eastern Shore of Maryland waiting for a mentor, someone who will be there for them and help them succeed.
It’s a role that can be life changing for not just the kid, but their family and the mentor too.
“It’s more than just the long run for the child, it’s a long run for me too. As a mentor you get a lot of rewards from just being involved and I can’t ever remember a time when my little didn’t want to go with me or want to do something or want to participate in something, so I know that was making a difference then too,” says Karen Bell, a mentor with the organization.
Because here on the Eastern Shore, there’s so many extra hurdles these kids face. Whether it’s single parent households or poverty stricken families, hurdles that can be all too much to handle as a kid.
“When you look at almost every single measure and predictor of success in life the Eastern Shore of Maryland is lower than Maryland’s average,” adds McClure.
That’s why Big Brothers Big Sisters is here to change that,to unleash the potential every kid has when there’s someone there to inspire that potential.
“We want to inspire the kids to break out of that cycle, to break out of those poverty cycles that they see coming and we can seeing coming if someone doesn’t step in and help.”
To learn more about their mentorship and how to apply go to their website where you can apply right there online and then they will do a background check and work with you to learn your interests to find the perfect little.
