Every parent knows this: Kids don’t come with instruction manuals. Life throws curveballs — family changes, school stress, mental health struggles — and not every young person has someone to turn to when it really counts.
For thousands of kids across our state, that “someone” is a mentor from Big Brothers Big Sisters.
It’s easy to think of mentoring as a feel-good charity project. But it’s much more than that. When a young person has a consistent, caring adult in their corner, the results are real and measurable.
We’re talking about higher graduation rates, fewer school absences, stronger mental health, and a drop in risky behaviors. National research backs this up, but you don’t need a stack of studies to see the impact — just talk to a “Little” who finally felt seen and heard, or a “Big” who helped a kid believe in their own future.
So why should our state government put taxpayer dollars into this? Because the challenges our youth are facing aren’t going away. In fact, they’re getting tougher. Social media has made bullying relentless. The pandemic disrupted education and social lives. Rates of depression and anxiety among teens are at record highs. Families are stretched thinner than ever.
Schools and parents can’t do it all. Teachers are swamped, guidance counselors have hundreds of students on their caseloads, and not every family has the time or resources to provide extra support. Programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters fill a gap that nothing else can. They train volunteers, carefully match mentors and kids, and provide ongoing support to make sure those relationships last.
Let’s be honest: Investing in prevention always beats paying for a cure.
Every dollar we spend helping a young person stay on track saves us far more down the road — in social services, criminal justice, and lost human potential. Kids who have a mentor are less likely to end up in trouble and more likely to finish school and contribute to their communities. That’s not just charity. That’s smart public policy.
If we want a stronger, safer, more connected state, we must start by supporting our young people. That means funding programs that work. Big Brothers Big Sisters has been doing this for decades. But they can’t meet the need alone. Public funding would mean more kids matched, shorter waitlists, and more support for families who need it most.
Let’s give every kid in our state the chance to have someone in their corner. Investing in Big Brothers Big Sisters isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s the wise thing to do. Our future depends on it.