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Who helped you find your way?
Children need Big Brothers and Big Sisters to help them find their way in the world. And if you know a child who doesn’t have one, we can help.
We find great people (sometimes they find us - perhaps that’s why you’re here) to be Big Brothers and Big Sisters. We screen them and we train them.
And then we try to make a perfect match. Of course, no match is ever perfect. The Big and the Little have to get to know each other. They have to discover the things they both like to do. They have to get comfortable talking and playing together. We’re there to help if it feels a little awkward.
This site can provide a lot of information and answer a lot of questions, but nothing beats a conversation. Please feel free to call us.
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Upcoming Events
"Little Moments... Big Magic" Fundraising Breakfast
Wed. May 21, 2008 @ Holiday Inn in Kingston, NY, 7:45-9:00 AM
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Little Moments
Learn more about us...
June 11th - Wednesday @ 5:00 pm
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At School?
If your child attends one of the Ulster County schools that partner with us, and you think your child needs a Big Brother or Sister, ask the teacher to make a referral. In our school-based program a child and his Big spend at least an hour a week together – perhaps at lunchtime, perhaps after school. They mix it up – homework, playing a game, or just talking things over.
Sometimes a Big in this program is an adult, but often a Big is a high school student. Someone who remembers well all the feelings of being a Little. Someone a Little can look up to. It works out well for them both. And our staff keep an eye out to keep everyone on target.
If you have an hour or two during the weekday and would like to volunteer to be a school based mentor, let us know.
If your school doesn’t have a school-based mentoring program and you’d like to see one start there, talk to the principal. You could help make something great happen.
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Who knew you were special?
Used to be that Big Brothers and Big Sisters were for kids in single parent families. But now we know that many children can benefit from the support of an adult outside the family.
Research shows that the most benefit comes when the match lasts longer than a year. Some of our matches last a lifetime. Many last throughout the school years.
In our community based program Bigs and Littles spend around eight hours a month together.
What do they do? Every match is different. And often what they do changes over time as a child grows and learns. That’s the fun of it – seeing how a child matures. How your questions help them think things through. How the places you visit together and the fun you have together open new worlds for him.
We use ‘him’ but we mean both girls and boys. But the truth is, it’s harder to get Big Brothers than Big Sisters. And it’s especially hard if a child has special problems. So, if you’re a man and have enough interest to read this far, we’d love to talk with you. Maybe we can find just the right match for you.
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Who can ease the grief?
Children of Promise brings mentoring to children who have an incarcerated parent. There’s a “particular form of grief and loss that comes from having a parent who is alive but unreachable.” And, it’s hard to be a parent from prison. It’s reassuring to know that someone is taking a special interest in your child.
Children of Promise grows from a collaboration between Big Brothers Big Sisters and local faith-based organizations. The church or temple provides and supports the mentors. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ulster County oversees screening, matching, training mentors, and monitors and supports the matches.
Children of Promise extends beyond Ulster County into Orange and Dutchess. This is a new program for us, funded in 2004 by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
If you belong to a faith-based organization that would be interested in knowing more, contact us. We’d be glad share more.
If you’re not affiliated with a faith-based program, we’d still like to enroll you as a mentor for a “Child of Promise.”
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