Throughout the year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Erie County (BBBSEC) sees evidence of the positive impact our mentors have on their Littles. With the holidays upon us, there are even more opportunities for our Bigs and Littles to give back together as a team. This year, one match in particular really exhibited the holiday spirit along with precisely what BBBSEC hopes to achieve: Little Brothers and Little Sisters that “pay it forward” and give back to the community themselves.
Big Sister Sandy and her Little Sister, Lexington, have been matched for approximately 7 months in our Transforming Buffalo Through Mentoring and Education program- an enhancement to our traditional Community Based Program with an increased focus on academic outcomes for our Littles. In October of 2012, when BBBSEC announced it was looking for individuals or groups to “adopt” a family for Thanksgiving and provide them with their dinner for the evening, Big Sister Sandy and Little Sister Lexington were among the first to raise their hands.
Big Sister Sandy sent out an email to her co-workers, family and friends explaining that she and her Little Sister Lexington wanted to collect donations so they could buy Thanksgiving dinner for a family in need. The response was overwhelming. Generous friends, family and co-workers gave Sandy and Little Sister Lexington enough money to adopt 3 families!
With the help of her Big Sister Sandy, this turned into a really great learning experience for Little Sister Lexington. The match gathered the donations they had collected, made their way to the grocery store and purchased three very large meals for the families that they had “adopted”. Little Sister Lexington learned the details involved in planning and purchasing a Thanksgiving dinner but more importantly, how rewarding it is to give back to others.
You can also give back like Big Sister Sandy and Little Sister Lexington this holiday season by donating any amount now at: http://www.beafriend.org/donate/donate-online/