BBBS Organization

By: Brittany Schaefer

The average person smiles over 50 times a day, but that’s just the average individual. Some people grow up in harsher communities and are known as at risk youth that face adversity. “Make someone smile whenever you can, you never know how much of a difference you could be making in their life at that moment.” –Israa Ali.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Seacoast Area is a non-profit organization with the aim of providing kids with positive role models. As is states on their website, their mission is to, “provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.”

“I really love working with the children, the family, and the volunteers,” said Lauren Bradshaw, the Enrollment Matching Advisor. I make matches so my most rewarding moment is being able to introduce them to each other and see how happy the kids are to meet someone. Then in the future, seeing them with the relationships that they have built.”

BBBS directly helps youth from the ages of 6- 18. This organization exists all over the country, helping thousands of youth. This organization is a great option for volunteer work for it is easy to get involved. Jan Williams, the Office Manager explained the process of a University of New Hampshire student getting involved. Initially there is an application and interview process. After passing that, there is with a layered background check, where they look for any criminal and driving records. If the individual passes the testing process then he/ she will become a “big”.

“The most rewarding moment I have had while volunteering was completing a Lego Christmas Village with my little. It's kind of lame and sappy, but I played with Legos a lot when I was a kid and it was his idea, so it was a great way for us to connect,” said UNH sophomore, Matt Doubleday. “It took us 2 or 3 visits to complete so it was nice to see the end product on something that took us about a month to finish. Watching his eyes light up as the train went around the track with the Christmas Village in the middle was a very rewarding moment for me.”

Senior UNH student, Sarah Dobush said, “The most rewarding thing about being an intern at BBBS is knowing that no matter what I'm doing, whether it is big or small, its helping extremely desiring children be matched with someone that's going to help them reach their fullest potential.”

During a typical meeting the big plans a low key, low cost or free activity for the two to do together. They talk and have fun for about two hours around 2-4 times a month.

Martin Ritsch, a senior here at UNH has been directly affected by this organization. “Meeting my big brother was great. I can’t remember our first experience since I was probably 10 or so at the time, but I loved him.” Ritsch had three different big brothers. “I had two before my favorite, I can’t remember one, and the other was Bob. He lived with his mom, big beard, big belly, and a bigger heart.” His favorite big brother was Dave. “Dave was in his 20s and in the Navy. He took great care of me and I miss him a lot. He just kind of disappeared though at the end and I haven’t heard from him since,” said Ritsch.

“Our favorite place to eat was Pizza Hut. I noticed that he would always forget to pay. Just cause, you know, he was forgetful,” said Ritsch. “Our server would always end up running outside chasing us as we started driving away and he would feel bad and go in and pay the meal. It happened a lot…”

Since Ritsch is currently finishing up his senior year he has been too busy to fully commit in being a big brother, but after graduation he plans on being one, so he can repay the favor and make a positive influence on another kid’s life.

Bowl For Kids’ Sake is BBBS’s annual and biggest fundraiser that helps raise funds for the organization to match kids on the waiting list of BBBS. This fundraiser involves organizing a team of up to 6 bowlers, one being a team captain, to help raise funds to support BBBS. The average matching of a big to a little is $1200, making this an expensive process.

After fundraising, as a thank-you for all the support, BBBS throws a party called Bowl For Kids’ Sake on May 2 and 4 at the Portsmouth Bowl-O- Rama. There will be lots of free food and drinks plus 90 minutes of blowing. It’s an easy way to help a great cause, more information can be found at www.greaterseacoast.kintera.org/bowl.

“Last year’s fundraiser was a very successful 2 days, we received a lot of support and raised a lot of money for the organization,” said Bradshaw. “Not only do we get money to make matches but also we raise awareness and it gets our name out there.”