Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region Needs You

Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region is launching a bold initiative: We are on a mission to recruit 60 mentors within just 60 days, and we need your help! Step up and become a mentor, affectionately called “Bigs,” to empower and inspire young individuals, known as “Littles,” in a way that will leave an everlasting impact on their lives. Together, we will bring the magic of the great outdoors into their lives.

Imagine a time when children reveled in the joy of exploring, biking, and playing in local parks. Sadly, today’s generation often misses out on these priceless experiences. The recent pandemic has exacerbated this problem, confining children indoors and leading to excessive screen time, childhood obesity, attention difficulties, increased anxiety and depression rates, and even vitamin D deficiencies. It’s time to take action and address these challenges head-on.

Why is excessive screen time detrimental to young people? 

Various studies have shown that too much screen time disrupts sleep patterns — especially critical for children and teenagers —
and negatively impacts mood. At Big Brothers Big Sisters, we are dedicated to improving the lives of young people and seek to actively combat these developmental issues by getting Littles outdoors more. The Littles participating in the program can improve healthy brain development by engaging in outdoor activities, getting more sunlight, and increasing their physical activities. Simple activities like tossing a football or going for a walk can significantly enhance young people’s cognitive abilities and problem-solving skills.

Can your time truly have a positive impact on a Little’s life? 

The impact you can have as a mentor is immeasurable. Surprisingly, even a few hours each month can be life-changing for a child. By spending time outdoors with a Little as a caring adult, you can shape a child’s development, boost their mood, and enhance their overall health. Physically active Littles exhibit higher engagement in learning and better mental well-being compared to those who are deprived of regular outdoor experiences.  

Remarkably, participants in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program have reported significant benefits from spending time outdoors:

• A staggering 90% expressed feeling healthier and happier when surrounded by nature.
• An impressive 79% witnessed a boost in self-confidence.
• An encouraging 77% noticed an improvement in their social interactions with peers.

To learn more about BBBS 60 Mentors in 60 Days Recruitment Campaign and why this initiative is so important read the BBBS press release here. (LINK TO Press Release once posted and delete this message)

But can outdoor activities also be rewarding for mentors like you? 

Absolutely! Engaging in recreational play reduces stress levels, increases relaxation, and elevates serotonin levels among adults. Moreover, you’ll reap the benefits of exercise and vitamin D while sharing outdoor adventures with a Little who may have otherwise missed out on such opportunities.

Become a Big today and change a child’s life

With our recruitment goal of 60 Bigs in 60 Days, now is the time to become part of Big Brothers Big Sisters Mountain Region and make a lifelong impact on a child’s life. You can introduce a Little to the joys of outdoor activities while serving as a stable, positive influence. We’ll be there to guide you every step of the way!

For more information and to see how you can become a Big to a Little, click here.

How it works

Our event is more than just bowling. It is a campaign – about having fun to help kids. 

Bowl for Kids’ Sake is our number one source of revenue for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program here in New Mexico. It is also our number one opportunity to connect with corporations and individuals and share with them about our program, the need for our program and how it works, and to find potential new volunteers. 

To participate, we ask corporations, organizations, and individuals to form a team of five, or multiple teams of five – larger companies may have multiple teams. The BFKS event in Gallup has grown tremendously under Sarah Piano’s leadership to where the whole community has fully embraced it.

We need the community to see that Big Brothers Big Sisters is not a “boys and girls” club, but a much needed one-to-one mentoring service that relies on volunteers to mentor each child in our program. Bowl for Kids’ Sake is a great way to support the organization by providing funds vital to volunteer/mentor recruitment. Not only is this event a fun way for your business to get involved and give back to your community, but it also provides an excellent team building opportunity for your employees. 

Surgeon General Report on Youth and Child Depression – “One in three high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, while suicide rates for young people rose 57% in a decade. More child and adolescent psychiatrists are needed.” 

It’s clear that kids need mentoring, and Big Brothers Big Sisters provides invaluable  mentoring opportunities by matching up kids who want mentors with adults who want to be a mentor.  Almost all our Big Brother Big Sister mentors say that they feel they get more out of it than the child does. It feels good to help others, especially so when the good you do is for kids.

100 teams ➝ 500 teams ➝ 2,500 people connected through Bowl For Kids’ Sake

Bowl for Kids’ Sake events raise the funds to keep the BBBS programs going, with peer-to-peer fundraising, business-to-business fundraising, team competitions and a whole lot of fun. It is a great way for businesses to give back to their communities, while simultaneously providing a fun way for their employees to feel camaraderie and a sense of greater purpose with their fellow workers!

Local banks Pinnacle and Washington Federal Bank in Gallup, NM  have experienced a great impact in increasing employee morale. Small businesses such as coffee shops and jewelry stores also get involved in the bowling events, which bolsters their small business reputation and spreads a sense of community and belonging. 

Although BBBS has a national footprint, each agency across the United States is responsible for its own operations, and the funds raised are kept local to grow the local programs. In other words, when you participate in the Santa Fe BFKS event, you are raising funds directly 100% for the BBBS programs in your local Santa Fe schools and community.

Why companies should get involved

Bowl for Kid’s Sake is a campaign – It’s not about bowling. It’s about having fun and helping kids. BFKS is an opportunity to give back, to build stronger teams in a shared mission of helping kids. 

We like to call this peer-to-peer fundraising. “Small asks” add up to big impacts.

We ask corporations to form a team, or many teams, of five people each. We ask each team member to raise $100 or more. This may sound intimidating at first, but to put it into perspective, a team of five people can ask for as little as $10 from 10 people, or $20 from 5 people. Each individual therefore raises $100, for a total of $500 per team. This is a great bonding opportunity for organizations!

Del Norte Credit Union has generously sponsored one match for a single year through Bowl for Kids’ Sake. These guys take their philanthropy seriously and encourage their employees to raise even more funds – helping us meet our goal to serve even more kids locally. Come bowl with them and see how much fun it can be to raise money to help kids! 100% of fundraising goes directly to the BBBS program in your local community.