Cape Cod: With 88 youth currently waiting for a mentor, and more being referred every day, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands (BBBSCCI) is launching the largest volunteer recruitment campaign in their 50-year history. The campaign, Erase the Wait, runs March 1 – 31 and will challenge BBBSCCI and the community to sign up 88 adult volunteer mentors to serve as Bigs.
“Recruiting volunteers, particularly male volunteers is our highest need right now,” says JR Mell, Regional Director for BBBSCCI. “We hope this campaign will raise awareness and allow us to eliminate the wait for Cape & Islands kids seeking a mentor. Mentoring is a great way to give back, but we often hear from mentors that they get way more out of the experience than they give.”
This year’s campaign will focus recruitment efforts on the Upper Cape, Wareham & Plymouth where the agency has the highest number of kids waiting for a mentor. Currently Mashpee is the highest need town, with nineteen kids waiting, the majority being boys seeking a Big Brother.
Many organizations and community members have already shown commitment to making this campaign successful. Leadership Cape Cod, First Citizens’ Federal Credit Union (FCFCU), State Rep. Steve Xiarhos, Cape Cod Young Professionals (CCYP), Rockland Trust, The Cape & Islands DA Office, Shepley Wood Products and Mid-Cape Home Centers are just a few who have agreed to amplify this campaign through their networks. BBBSCCI, alongside Leadership Cape Cod and the Mashpee Chamber of Commerce, will be hosting an opportunity to learn more about getting involved on Wednesday, March 6th at Cape Cod Coffee from 5-7pm. You can register here.
“Building transformative mentoring relationships has never been more important and I’m confident in our Cape & Islands community to step up and help erase the wait for deserving youth,” said Mell.
Anyone interested in volunteering or learning more can visit the BBBS website: https://emassbigs.org/erasethewait/. Groups or organizations who may want to help BBBS with this campaign may contact JR Mell, Regional Director at jrmell@capebigs.org or 508-827-8170.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands: BBBS is on a mission to help children in under-resourced families thrive by providing transformational, one-to-one professionally-supported relationships with caring adult mentors. Founded in 1974, and a part of BBBSEM, BBBS is the only volunteer based, one to one, professionally supported mentoring program on the Cape & Islands. BBBS currently serves over 300 kids throughout the Cape & Islands. For more information please visit: www.CapeBigs.org
