Big Brothers Big Sisters Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Brothers Big Sisters is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by recognizing "Bigs," "Littles," families, staff and supporters who make their Hispanic Mentoring programs successful.  

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100913/PH62038 )

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100913/PH62038 )

Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation's largest donor-supported network of volunteer mentors for youth, carefully makes and supports mentoring matches through community and school-based programs.  The network's nearly 380 agencies across the U.S. provide long-term mentoring support for more Latino children (approximately 44,000), their families and volunteer mentors than any other organization in the nation.  Longstanding independent research finds children mentored in the network -- primarily those of single, low-income and incarcerated parents -- are more likely to succeed in and out of school.

In a recent informal survey completed by 513 Big Brothers Big Sisters Hispanic mentors ("Bigs"), the majority said they feel good about their mentoring experience.  Big Brothers Big Sisters serves approximately 8,385 self-identified Hispanic mentors.

• 96.6% of Hispanic Bigs who answered the survey agree that they are proud to be a Big.
• 95.9% would recommend being a Big to their friends and family.
• 91.1% agree that their Little is excited to see them when they meet.
• 91.3% say their family and friends support their match.

The organization is focused on recruiting more Latino volunteers, especially males, as boys of color (Hispanic and African American) disproportionately represent those waiting to be matched.

With generous donations from the MetLife Foundation, Goizueta Foundation, Jack-in-the-Box, Cargill, and M&T Trusts, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies offer Hispanic outreach and mentoring programs that go beyond simple translation and allow staffers to take a culturally competent approach to engaging Hispanic families and volunteers in the mentoring process.  The organization is also working with Univision, offering information and resources through the network's Es el Momento program, which focuses on increasing high school graduation/college attendance among Latinos.  

Big Brothers Big Sisters' 2010 Hispanic Heritage Month activities will include a variety of recognition activities, such as electronic greeting cards for Bigs, Littles, families and mentoring program funders/partners; pot-luck receptions to recognize volunteers, donors and Littles' successes; and "cafecitos," to allow mentoring matches to share with one another stories of the impact of their mentoring relationships while enjoying coffee and traditional desserts.  

Across the nation, Hispanic families say Big Brothers Big Sisters' Hispanic Mentoring programs are having an impact not just on the mentors, but the children and families served by Bigs with the assistance of agency match support staff.  Here are some examples:

San Antonio, Texas

Rene Esquivel & His Little Brother, Clemente

Rene Esquivel and his 13-year-old Little Brother, Clemente, have been matched three years.  The two met the summer before Clemente entered fourth grade, a time when he was not too thrilled to return to school to face the boys who had been bullying him the year before.

Clemente was a Kindergartener when his biological father was incarcerated.  His mother enrolled him in Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Texas as a way to help her son build his self-esteem and overcome depression.  Since the mentoring match began, Clemente's life has turned around.  He is a happy, socially outgoing A-B student.  Clemente and Rene continue to meet several times a month, playing laser-tag, attending sporting events and movies and just hanging out.  Clemente's mother is delighted with how things are going.

Lorena Gonzalez and Her Little Sister, Vanessa

Lorena Gonzalez and her Little Sister, Vanessa, recently celebrated their two-year match anniversary.  When they met, Vanessa was struggling with peer pressure and personal family challenges.  Vanessa needed a wise friend who was willing to listen to her feelings and wanted the best for her future.

In her work, Lorena provides advice and counsel to local teens about self-esteem and peer pressure.  In the past two years, Vanessa has blossomed, moving away from her former shy and reserved disposition to support her Big Sister by serving as a peer role model.  While she still struggles with peer pressures common to many teens, Vanessa has grown to trust Lorena and look to her for guidance and support that she says keeps her on the right track.

Miami, Florida

Maria Zamudio and Her Now Adult 'Alumni' Little Sister, Ywaidree

Maria Zamudio and her Little Sister, Ywaidree, are still the best of friends.  The pair was matched 20 years ago when Ywaidree was only six years old.  She is now 26.  One of Ywaidree's elementary school counselors told the then six-year-old's mother about Big Brothers Big Sisters.  She knew things were particularly difficult because Ywaidree's mother was raising two children on her own while battling lupus.  Ywaidree was trying to help and didn't have much time to be a kid.

Ywaidree can still recall every detail of her first outing with Maria -- the delicious hot fudge sundae...and what seemed like hours sitting together at the playground to just talk.  Month after month, year after year, Maria was always there encouraging Ywaidree, doing homework with her and always supporting her goals and dreams while reminding her to never settle for less.  One day, Ywaidree asked Maria if she thought she could be a doctor one day -- she told her that after being in the hospitals so much with her mother, she felt like she would like to help other people.  Maria, who had pursued her own dream and become a police officer for the City of Miami Beach, fully encouraged her to follow her heart.

A supporter of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami, Ywaidree is now planning to attend medical school.  "As an adult, I now realize that Maria gave me what every child deserves: unconditional love, guidance, and hope," she says.  Maria plans to be by her side all the way.

California – North Bay

Jasmine Sarmiento and Her Little Sister, Jazzmine

Jasmine has been matched with her Little Sister Jazzmine since March of 2007.  As is sometimes the case when mentors are matched with teenagers, scheduling issues were an obstacle in the beginning, as Jazzmine preferred spending time with her friends.  Still, with support and guidance from her match specialist at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Bay, Jasmine was committed to setting up weekly outings and eventually won Jazzmine's interest by offering to share cool "teen" experiences in the community, such as museums, and shopping in San Francisco.  

Within time, Jazzmine began sharing more about who she is, what drives her and challenges with growing up -- communication issues with her father, being bullied at school, being pulled into negative peer pressure and managing her anger.  Jasmine has been a good listener and has helped her Little Sister by bringing her into her book club and referring her to helpful community resources, including some available through Big Brothers Big Sisters of the North Bay.  Recently during a check-in with Mom, Jazzmine's match specialist overheard the teen in background saying, "Is that Big Brothers Big Sisters?  Tell them I love my Big Sister Jasmine so much!"

San Diego, California

Big Brother, Alfonso, and his Little Brother Abraham

Alfonso knew the moment he met his then 12-year-old Little Brother, Abraham, the weight of his commitment to serve as a mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County.  "I recall the other teens standing in the shadows looking at me approach the apartments that day. I felt a great responsibility for my new Little Brother and from his mother, Gina, in trusting me with her only son. At that moment, I began to understand the importance of this program."  

An immigrant from Mexico, Alfonso learned from his family the importance of hard work and selflessness.  Today, he sees his Little Brother, Abraham, embracing those same values.  The youngster has gone from being a D-F student to earning B's and C's and said the teen now sees the importance of education.  

"He [Alfonso] has also taught me about self confidence. He has made me think more about my future and has showed me a whole new world. He shows me love, respect and never judges me," Abraham said.

Big Brother Raul and His Little Brother, Herwinth

Just a little more than a year after Carmela, a single mother of four children, enrolled her son, Herwinth, with Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County, she sees remarkable progress with his school performance, behavior and attitude.  After a difficult and tumultuous relationship with her children's father ended, Herwinth's mother worried that her son was becoming withdrawn and angry.  Today, she thanks Raul and her Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County match specialist, Paula Garcia-Reynaga, for the changes she sees in her son.  

"Since Herwinth has been matched, I have noticed significant changes in his attitude and behavior.  Before, he usually kept to himself.  I saw him as a lost child, slowly heading towards the wrong path."  Raul spends time with Herwinth several times a month, playing soccer with him, taking him to San Diego Chargers games or sharing movies.  "Herwinth used to get satisfactory grades, but he now gets A's and 'Excellent' marks.  I am extremely amazed by the program and the impact Raul has had on my son," Carmela said.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters

For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. Most children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters are in single-parent and low-income families or households where a parent is incarcerated. As the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and children ("Littles").

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides a system of ongoing evaluation and support that is proven by independent studies to help families by improving the odds that "Littles" will perform better in school and avoid violence and illegal activities, and have stronger relationships with their parents and others. Headquartered in Philadelphia with a network of nearly 400 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves more than 255,000 children. Learn how you can positively impact a child's life, donate, or volunteer at BigBrothersBigSisters.org.

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters