Local mentor group receives awards for help to children
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A group in central Indiana is at work to help children in the community. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana recently received three awards at a national conference for their work in the community.
BBBSCI was recognized as a Quality Agency which means they have created some of the most impactful Big and Little relationships in the country. They were given the Gold Standard award for their growth and outreach to children in the community. The board was additionally recognized as Board of the Year.
Nigel and Willie Little are a big/little brother pair who have benefited from their friendship for a couple of years.
“We talk a lot. I tell him stuff and he tells me like the right choices and stuff like that,” said Little Brother Nigel.
He said his Big Brother Willie often will give him advice to not get caught up in everything and to get good grades.
“When you focus on the story that you can create for someone later on, I think that’s a lot more important than what you’re dealing with on a day-to-day basis,” said Big Brother Willie Little.
BBBSCI serves more than 1,000 children each year.
“We work with a lot of great kids who come to us for different reasons and we really want to make sure we can give them that encouragement and friendship and mentorship they come looking for,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters Central Indiana CEO, Darcey Palmer-Shultz.
The organization said they always need more volunteers to help mentor children.
“It’s an awesome opportunity that so many kids want this positive thing in their life and their parents want this for them. We’re just trying to work really hard to keep up with the demand,” Palmer-Shultz added.
Currently there are about 800 children on the waiting list. The organization hopes to match 400 children with mentors and get them off the waiting list within the year. To learn more on how to become a volunteer, click here.