The BIG Sock Hop!

Can you believe the auction is only a week away?! We have been working like crazy to get everything ready, but its all been worth it! Just last week we finalized the auction items list. It’s always heartwarming to see just how much support we have from our community, so many item donors and fabulous volunteers have stepped up to help this auction be the best that it can be.

Some of our items include exciting getaways, game day tickets, thrilling adventures and so much more!

A big thank you to our auction sponsors this year- BP Cherry point, Barleans Organic Oils, Les Schwab, Phillips 66, Silver Reef Hotel, Casino and Spa, The Best Western Plus Lakeway Inn and Conference Center, Bank of the pacific, Barkley Family Dentistry, WELLESSE, Columbia Bank, Ferndale Volunteer Firefighters Association, inquirewithin.com, Littlefuse, People’s Bank, US Bank, Weight Law Firm, Menchie’s, and Whidbey Island Bank. We would also like to thank Bellingham Golf and Country Club for providing such a beautiful venue for the event!

Dinner this year will make your mouth water - Dinner choices are steak or vegetarian portobello mushroom wellington.  The 8oz. Top Sirloin will be wrapped with Hempler bacon on a bed of pinot noir demi glaze.  The Portobello wellington is a house made puff pastry stuffed with a fire-roasted portobello, seasonal vegetables and smoked mozzarella, served whole.  When you register for the event (click here to register!) you can make your dinner choices.

Hopefully you all will be able to join us this year for a silent auction, wine and hors d’oeuvres, a gourmet dinner,live auction and delicious deserts!  

Check out some pictures from our last year's auctions:

This year our theme is The Big Sock Hop. We encourage you to pull out that ol' poodle skirt and dress to theme :) November 3 at 5:30 - hope to see everyone there! 

Click here to register and reserve your seats today 

Washington's Mentor of the Year!

First off, sorry for the delay of this blog. We have been working tirelessly on our upcoming Auction & Gala, The BIG Sock Hop! Its going to be a ton of fun- hope to see you all there!

We have some really exciting news, Stan Chronister, a Big Brothers Big Sisters of NW Washington Board member and Big Brother, has been named Outstanding Mentor of the Year by Washington State Mentors!

Stan has done a wonderful job at taking his little out for fun activities and providing quality one-on-one time for his Little. Because of his mentoring, his Little Brother has grown much more confident and articulate, and now has someone he can always turn to and depend on.

We are so grateful for Stan and all that he has done for BBBS NWW, his little, and our whole community. This award is well deserved, congratulations Stan! Thank you for all you do!

Start the School Year off Right!

We're halfway through September but there is still time to sign up for some of our awesome programs here at Big Brothers Big Sisters! The beginning of the school year is a great time to be matched up with a little brother or sister- help them start the school year of right and mentor them through out the year.

Here are some quick FAQs about BBBS, if you want to read the whole list visit our website

What kind of programs are available?

• We make matches in three different programs: Community-Based, School Buddies and Mother to Mother

What are the volunteer requirements?

• Community-Based Bigs:
  • Must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Have no more than 3 moving violations in the last 3 years (if planning on transporting your Little).
  • Can provide proof of car insurance (if planning on transporting your Little).
  • Have not been convicted of a felony within the past 5 years.
  • Have not been convicted of a gross misdemeanor in the past 3 years or any misdemeanors in the past year.
  • No crimes against children. Ever.
  • No sexual crimes. Ever.
  • No violent crimes against another person. Ever.
  • No current illegal drug or illegal alcohol use.
  • Attend an orientation
• School Buddies Bigs
• Must be at least a Sophomore in High School or older.
• Must have Parent Permission if under the age of 18.
• Meet the same requirements as Community-Based Bigs (with the exception of the driving record).
• Attend an orientation
• Be fingerprinted
• Mother to Mother
• This is a new program, so we're still working out the details! e-mail admin@bbbs-nw.org if you are interested.

Announcing: Mother 2 Mother Program

Mother-2-Mother
Reaching out to Teenage Mothers

Mother-2-Mother (M2M) is a new program at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Washington (BBBS-NW) designed to empower pregnant or parenting teenage mothers to be the best moms and students they can be. Through one-to-one mentoring, we will match these teens with experienced mothers who will guide the teen moms as they navigate high school and motherhood. We hope to see these girls succeed in school, develop nurturing bonds with their babies, learn vital parenting skills, and believe in their own potential.

Why do we need M2M?

• Each year, over 200 babies are born to teenage mothers in Whatcom County alone.
• On average, only 40% of teen mothers continue their education after becoming pregnant.
• Teen mothers have a 20% re-pregnancy rate, meaning that one in five will become pregnant again before finishing school.

How will it help?

• Data collected from our BBBS sister agency in New York showed that, when mentored, teen mothers’ likelihood of continuing their education rose to 90%.
• Additionally, the New York data showed that the mentored teen moms’ re-pregnancy rate was just 2%.

How is M2M different than traditional community-based mentoring?

• All of the mentors will be mothers themselves, and hold at least high school degrees. This will allow them to share parenting and academic advice, as well as emotional support.

What is expected of our mother mentors?

• Our screening process includes checking the potential mentor’s driving history, doing a background check and calling three references.  We also conduct an extensive interview.
• Our required 8 hour training gives mentors the tools they need to support their teen mom.
• Monthly match support calls from BBBS-NW staff ensure the match is thriving.
• Attendance at the quarterly mentor forums will give mentors on-going support and training.

For more information please phone our office at 360.671.6400.
Visit our website for further details on all our Mentoring Programs.

Your Little Brother or Sister is waiting for you

The Need for Mentors

What if every child in Whatcom and Skagit Counties had all of the support and guidance they needed to graduate high school? Avoid drug and alcohol abuse? Apply for and achieve the career of their dreams? Consider the impact that would have, both on the children and the community. Of the children enrolled in our programs, 82% live in low income families, and 68% live in single parent households. By mentoring a child you are providing fresh perspectives, supporting positive self-esteem, and being a role model for vulnerable children in our community.

Start Something

bigger than yourself.

Mentoring leaves a positive lasting impact on the life of the mentored child, giving them a chance to avoid a lot of life’s many pitfalls like drinking, drugs, gangs and dropping out of school. When compared to their non-mentored counterparts, children with mentors are:

• 33% less likely to use violence to solve a problem.
• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs.
• 52% less likely to skip school.
• 97% less likely to become involved with the juvenile authorities.
• 87% more likely to graduate high school.
• 75% more likely to receive a college degree.

Back to School (Buddies) Time!

It's almost fall, and school will be starting soon, which means that the School Buddies program will be starting back up with it! School Buddy matches meet for an hour a week on school grounds, during school hours, giving kids all the benefits of mentoring within their own academic environment.

School Buddies offers a regular schedule and a slightly lower time commitment than Community-Based mentoring. It's perfect for students, full-time workers, or anyone who just misses recess! By just having fun together for one hour each week, you can help a child stay in school and on the right track.
 
School Buddies mentoring makes school fun! As a school-based Big Brother or Big Sister, you can improve the life of a local child simply by spending one hour per week at his or her school.
 

More details on the Big Brothers Big Sisters of NW Washington School Buddies Program

School Buddies is an innovative approach created by Big Brothers Big Sisters to reach a more diverse population of children. The program is designed to improve youth’s social skills as well as foster academic performance. The volunteer meets with the student on the school campus, once a week during school hours, for a minimum of one school year. They play games, shoot hoops, just hang out or work on homework. We have found that programs that encourage activities with a socio-emotional focus are more likely to have greater academic impact, higher quality and longer duration compared to programs that focus on academic/tutoring activities.

The essence of creating strong mentor-student matches is the careful selection, training and support of volunteers. Applicant processing includes a Washington state criminal background check (including fingerprinting), two written references, and an in-person interview.

Mentoring DOES make a difference.

Students involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters’ School Buddies Program were assessed by teachers, parents and volunteers for two consecutive school years. The results were very encouraging. They:

·        developed more positive attitudes toward school.
·        achieved higher grades in math, social studies and languages.
·        experienced improved relationships with adults.
·        experienced improved relationships with peers.
·        were better able to express feelings.
·        developed increased self-confidence.
·        were more likely to trust their teacher.

Check out  www.bbbs-nw.org/programs for more information, or call (360) 671-6400 today.

Your Little School Buddy might already be waiting for you!

Summer is Here!

Summer is finally here! And with that a whole bunch of new and fun activities for you do to do with your Littles. We would love to hear about what you all have been doing, but first here are some quick ideas!

-If your looking for something adventurous to do, try a hike at Larrabee State Park or around Whatcom falls. Pack some snacks and make a day out of it! 

More information on Whatcom Falls: http://www.bellingham-subdued-excitement.com/whatcom-falls-park.html

-If you and your Little are into arts and crafts, check out CreativiTea in Fairhaven, they have a few fun things going on this summer like Free Slump Wednesdays and The Adventures of Traveling Gnomes 

Learn more here: http://www.creativitea.com/happenings.html

-Readers? Then you should go down to Village Books in Fairhaven and join the Big/Little book club! There is no commitment, so you can pick and choose books that appeal to you then drop in. They are held on the last Saturday of every month. For a list of the books click here

-What says summer more than smores by the campfire? Go shopping with your Little and pick up the essentials; Graham Crackers, chocolate, marshmallows, and anything else you can think of! Try stuffing the marshmallows with Rolos, M&Ms, Caramels, chocolate chips... get creative! Replace the chocolate bars with Twix, Reeses, Crunch bars... possibilities are endless!

What have you and your Littles been up to this summer? Share your ideas with us here, on Facebook, or Twitter!