BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS AND COVID
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS AND COVID
Non-profit Organization’s pandemic experience affects mentors relationship
By: Gabrielle Barone
Q NEWS
HOW IT STARTED
Her parents demanded that she get involved once she got to school. As a freshman, she went to her school’s Involvement Fair and simply signed her name on every list there was for a club.
Scavone was looking for a place where she could make a difference - where she could change someone's life. When she joined Big Brothers Big Sisters of America she found even more than that.
Scavone said, “but it’s different now, COVID changed everything for us, it completely sucks to be honest. Our relationship is on a standstill with no room to grow. We used to play on the playground, we used to color, we loved to play Candyland. That’s Niveah’s favorite.”
This non-profit organization is one of the oldest and largest youth mentoring organizations in the United States. “Our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth,” said Guilford County Match Support Specialist, Noemi Velez Gonzalez.
Scavone said since the day she met her Little, Niveah, “I knew I could make a difference in a child's life, but instead she made a difference in mine.” Scavone got emotional as she explained Little's low economic status, and the way she smiled through the difficult times inspired her.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BBBS organization has faced many changes. Bonds are fading and funds are low.
COVID-19 AFFECTING BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
Guilford County schools have deemed the school year virtual. This decision has affected how Bigs and Littles interact. “This call has taken away the face-to-face interaction Bigs and Littles used to have,” said Cierra Crisp, intern for the VP of Philanthropy, of BBBS. “BBBS is such a person to person based organization. The biggest change is definitely, the virtual interaction.”
“It’s an impossibly painful feeling to know she is so close, yet the world takes away our playdates,” said Scavone. “It takes away the human contact. I can’t even help her read because I’m not there to guide my finger over the words. All we do is talk about our day.”
The in-person interaction lacks but that’s not it! There has been a lack of donations during these unprecedented times.
Many events that bring in donations have been moved virtually, or like the January Gala, have been postponed.
The Jersey Gala is an annual six-figure event that normally raises over $100,000. “We worry about donors tiring of virtual events and if it will raise what it normally does,” said Dr. Cynthia Carlton Thompson, Ph.D. Chairman of Board of Directors for BBBS.
Thompson, alongside her husband Alton, have made an endowment of $25,000 with this organization in hopes to “provide children with the tools to be successful for the next generation and generations to come. One way of accomplishing this goal is by giving to organizations that support the vision that all children deserve to be successful in life.” it said in this year's newsletter.
Because of the coronavirus, their goals have been harder to reach. “We have had to change the way we recruit since we can’t be on campus. We are figuring it out and involving BBBS Club on campus who is helping us with recruitment efforts,” said Thompson. They are in the midst of their heaviest volunteer recruiting period, but are experiencing a halt with moving forward.
BBBS needs more funding. Relationships like Scavone and Niveah that are missing those affectionate hugs, and COVID is holding them back.
Despite COVID, a fun daily activity was coloring.
FUTURE GOALS
It all started in 1904, when Ernest Coulter, BBBS founder, was seeing more and more boys come through his courtroom. He predicted that caring adults could help children stay out of trouble and could show them their potential in life.
Since 1904, BBBS, Velez Gonzalez said it has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is incredible potential.
With COVID, this mission statement has been hard to fulfill.
There are hopes for a successful future for BBBS, but parents and students are still worried about their health and safety.
“I hope that BBBS Central Piedmont continues to grow in High Point and Greensboro. I will always appreciate them and all the work they have done,” said Crisp. “I hope the pandemic will end, if ever, and everything goes forward to ‘normal’ to keep moving forward virtually.”
“I'm worried because I have not seen my Little. We have made so much progress over the last two years. I’m afraid she won't recognize me once we're back face to face,” said Scavnone. “All I want to do is to let her chase me around the schoolyard to see that big smile on her face.”
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