As we enter 2024, our organization has set forth strategies that take into account the evolving needs of our community in recent years. Our aim remains unwavering in supporting local families, Littles, and Bigs through our 1-to-1 mentoring program, and we are committed to addressing their unique needs while staying true to our program model. We encourage you to review the attached overview of our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan for a comprehensive understanding. Should you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are excited and ready to connect with you!
While this example shows a Big going above and beyond his volunteer Big mentoring, you'll enjoy this extraordinary, heart-warming story:
My husband was a Big and met his Little over ten years ago when his Little was 7 years old. The young boy had minimal parenting and had no male figures in his life until BBBS SW CO. After my husband moved away from Durango, they kept in touch, sometimes sporadically. A little over a year ago, he called his Little to wish him a Merry Christmas and a whole long story came out. Essentially, his Little's Mom had pulled him from school when he was in 9th grade so he could start working. Mom didn't have a great work ethic, life spiraled downward and they became homeless.
It was, I think, because of his Little's 2 male mentors from BBBS that he was not drug impacted. His Little recently came to live with us so he could finish high school. It was a hard journey for him and we all struggled because he had such low expectations of himself and expected failure. With some confidence building, a stable home and meals, and a splash of tutoring and therapy, he graduated from high school with a 3.8 and made student of the month twice!
He left this week to join Job Corps. I just wanted to share this with you because it was absolutely because of the relationships you support between Bigs and Littles that this Little had a chance to persevere and succeed. Given that chance, he appreciatively grabbed it and is now on a path that will allow him even more opportunities.
He'll always be part of our family, we now have two children, 5 & 7. When he moved on to Job Corps, my 5-year old told me that water was going to fall from her face because she was so sad. She's not usually so poetic! But I know that the three of them now think of each other like siblings, and that is another relationship that he has that he feels really good about!
Our mission at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Colorado is to create and support one to one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
Since its establishment in Durango in 1984 by local citizens dedicated to enhancing the lives of ALL youth in Southwest Colorado, our objective remains unchanged. Big Brothers Big Sisters of SW Co agency adopted the national organization's proven one-to-one mentoring model, which has a track record of helping youth overcome challenges and realize their potential for almost FORTY YEARS!
We are proud to welcome youth from across the southwest region of Colorado, with our primary focus currently on serving those in La Plata County. However, as we continue to recover from the pandemic and strategize for the future, our aim is to expand these opportunities to youth in Archuleta and surrounding counties, ensuring access to high-quality programs for as many kids as possible.
BBBS of SW CO is chartered to serve La Plata, San Juan, Archuleta, and Montezuma counties. These rural areas consist of small towns, limited industry, and primarily small businesses and farming. Consequently, the prevalence of youth experiencing rural poverty, abuse, or neglect remains persistently high in both counties.
By fostering positive relationships with adults or peers, our youth are guided towards increased self-confidence, improved high school graduation rates, a sense of belonging, and a reduction in risky behaviors. These relationships begin simply as our volunteers, known as "Bigs," show up and invest their time. Over time, the transformative power of mentorship emerges, benefiting both the adults and the youth in our community. If you haven't yet witnessed the remarkable influence of mentorship, we firmly believe it serves as the foundation for all individuals to thrive and achieve success on their own terms.
Organization name
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Colorado
other names
BBBS SW CO
1984
Tax id (EIN)
74-2333611
Category
Youth Development
Organization Size
Medium Organization
Address
1199 Main Avenue #203Mailing
P. O. Box 2154La Plata County, CO, US