BBBS Northern Sierra Launches New Website
CAMERON PARK, Calif. — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Sierra is marking September’s Big Brothers Big Sisters Month with a new website and a look toward its 50th year of serving young people across the Northern Sierra.
The redesigned website, bbbsns.org, is intended to make it easier for families and community members to find information about mentoring programs, enroll a child, volunteer as a Big, support the organization financially and learn about other ways to participate.
The organization, commonly known as BBBSNS, was incorporated in California in 1977 and operates as a nonprofit serving El Dorado, Nevada and Placer counties. Its local roots include an office in Cameron Park, while current public listings also identify a Placerville location on Main Street.
September’s national observance provides the backdrop for the local organization’s 49th year. This year’s theme, “A Future Built on Mentorship,” emphasizes the role of mentoring relationships in helping young people build confidence, resilience and stronger connections within their communities. The national Big Brothers Big Sisters network is highlighting mentorship throughout September as agencies recruit volunteers, recognize supporters and raise awareness of the need for caring adult mentors.
110 new mentoring matches
According to BBBS Northern Sierra, the organization supported 110 new mentoring matches this year.
The organization also reports that 100% of its mentees surveyed said their Big is a positive, supportive presence who helps them handle stress.
Those figures are particularly significant for a program built around sustained, one-to-one relationships rather than a single event or short-term intervention.
The organization’s stated mission is to build and support one-to-one relationships that help young people reach their potential. Public agency information describes its mentoring program as matching adult volunteers, or “Bigs,” with children and teens, generally ages 6 to 18.
For local families, the program is part of a broader network of community resources intended to give young people access to positive adult relationships and support.
Community support remains central
Dina Gentry, director of development for BBBS Northern Sierra, said the organization’s work depends on a broad base of community support.
“Mentorship is more than a program. It is an investment in young people and in the strength of our communities,” Gentry said in the organization’s announcement.
Donors, event sponsors, volunteers, mentors, businesses, community leaders and partner organizations all contribute to the organization’s ability to create and sustain mentoring relationships, according to BBBS Northern Sierra.
The nonprofit’s financial records identify it as a 501(c)(3) organization, and its public filings describe its purpose as bringing mature, interested adults together with youth to provide positive influences in their development.
That community-based model has also made the organization a participant in broader local efforts involving youth well-being. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Sierra was among the organizations identified as stakeholders in El Dorado County’s suicide prevention planning process.
A new front door for local families
The redesigned website is intended to serve as a central point of entry for people looking to participate in the organization’s work.
Visitors can learn about mentoring programs, begin the process of enrolling a child, explore opportunities to become a Big and find information about donating money, vehicles or property. The organization also highlights its community and business partnerships.
The need for adult mentors is not unique to El Dorado County. Big Brothers Big Sisters organizations across the country are using September to emphasize the importance of consistent adult relationships and to recruit volunteers.
For BBBS Northern Sierra, however, the campaign has a distinctly local focus: strengthening relationships between young people and adults in the communities where they live.
As the organization approaches its 50th year, the website launch represents more than a digital makeover. It is an effort to make the organization easier to find and its mission easier to support — whether that support comes from a prospective mentor, a family seeking services, a business looking for a community partnership or a resident simply willing to contribute.
BBBS Northern Sierra is encouraging residents throughout the region to learn more about mentoring and consider how they can help build what the organization describes as a future built on mentorship.
The organization’s website is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Sierra.
