January is National Mentoring Month
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Maine joins National
Campaign Headlined by General Colin L. Powell
January marks the ninth annual
celebration of Mentoring Month; a campaign focused on bringing
national awareness to the power of mentoring as well as
recognizing the thousands of Americans already helping young
people achieve brighter futures.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Maine, a program of Downeast
Health Services and a United Way partner, is joining the
campaign and encouraging local communities to do so as well. Big
Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Maine currently supports over
150 children in one-to-one matches. Our mentoring programs are
in over 20 schools and sites across Hancock, Penobscot, and
Washington counties. We also support over 40 community based
matches.
The theme for National Mentoring Month 2010, which includes the
Martin Luther King, Jr., Day of Service Jan. 18 and Thank Your
Mentor Day™ Jan. 21, is "Expand Your Universe. Mentor a Child."
The month-long campaign is spearheaded by the Harvard School of
Public Health, MENTOR/The National Mentoring Partnership, the
Corporation for National and Community Service, and headlined by
General Colin L. Powell.
“Nothing is more important to our Nation’s future than preparing
our children to lead productive and fulfilling lives.” says
General Powell. “You can play an important part by volunteering
as a mentor. It doesn’t require special skills, just a
willingness to listen and to care.”
Research has shown that mentoring has a significant economic and
social impact; reducing drug abuse and youth violence while
greatly enhancing a young person’s prospects for graduating high
school and leading a healthy, productive life.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters creates an extraordinary relationship
between two people and introduces kids to opportunities that
expand their horizons” says Stacey Coventry, Program Director.
“This connection has the power to increase confidence, guide
better choices, and prevent delinquency. These outcomes also
translate into the classroom through better educational
performance, attendance, and behavior. With community support,
we can provide positive role models and help children and
families grow in ways they may never have believed possible.”
A highlight of National Mentoring Month 2010 is Thank Your
Mentor Day on January 21, an opportunity to honor those
individuals that have made a lasting impact in one’s life.
Individuals and communities located in Eastern Maine are
encouraged to join in the National Mentoring Month celebration
by:
- Learning more about Big
Brothers Big Sisters mentoring by visiting
www.downeastmentor.org
- Signing up to become a
mentor. For more information, contact Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Eastern Maine at 947-2063 or
bbbs2@downeasthealth.org
- Thanking the mentors in
their life on January 21.
- Making a donation to
support mentoring in their local community.
