Bringing Big Brothers Big Sisters back to Fox Valley

Around five years ago, a program that made a real difference in the lives of children as well as adults was suspended in the Fox Valley area for a really bogus reason.

Due to rising insurance costs that just couldn't be met, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Fox Valley was mostly dissolved, save for a few site-based programs where mentors and children met at schools for homework help, board games, crafts, and sports activities.

These site-based programs, like the one held at Golfview Elementary in Carpentersville, have proved to be very valuable. According to the BBBS McHenry, which is currently providing these services, 357 youths were served in 2007, including those in the Carpentersville and Elgin site based programs.

Data collected from teachers and mentors showed that 84 percent showed improvement in self-confidence, 72 percent showed improvement in academic performance, 68 percent showed improvement in attitude toward school, and 42 percent showed improvements in peer relationships.

Because BBBS believes that this happens as a result of a one-to-one mentoring relationship with an adult, they decided to see if they could get the Fox Valley group going again and began by hiring Linda Kuhn as capacity building coordinator for McHenry County.

While she has had other positions within BBBS, her new role is to identify the needs of our area and get services in place that meet those needs.

Kuhn started last August by meeting with various organizations in the community such as school principals, Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis clubs, and chambers of commerce.

"I've been so impressed from the community level, just the willingness to step forward and say yes we need these services," Kuhn said. "The kids need them."

Next, Kuhn organized an advisory board to help provide goals and direction. They began meeting in April. Their goal is to have a strategic plan in place by the end of this summer.

"We really want to identify what the needs are in the community and how we can best meet those needs," she said. "Will it be that we need more site-based than community based, or the other way around? What geographic areas need the most services? Where can we recruit volunteers? What is our plan going to be to have sustainable financial resources in the community? How can we build partnerships within the community?

"The main question is does the community value this and want these services to return to the area. I believe the answer is yes."

Kuhn is hoping that her efforts, along with the advisory board's, will result in more programming for the area.

"We would love to be able to have an office again down in the community, a place that is recognizable as Big Brothers Big Sisters. We'd love to continue to grow our site-based program and to be able to offer a community-based program."

She explained that the community-based program is often what people think of when they hear about Big Brothers and Big Sisters. It's when a mentor and the child meet one-on-one outside of the school environment, perhaps going to a ballgame, a museum, or just spending time together.

"The thing that is most important is that it helps build self esteem in children, it helps them learn to make good decisions," she said. "It exposes them to things they wouldn't have the opportunity to be exposed to without a mentor. The goal is to develop assets in children that will help them more successfully transition into adulthood. That really happens in a one-to-one relationship with an adult."

The board's two main goals right now are completing the strategic plan and identifying sustainable financial resources. It welcomes more volunteers.

"People who are interested in helping in any way - to help with a committee, to help with a fundraising event, to attend a fundraising event," Kuhn said. "I would love for people to contact us and let us know they're interested. We'll definitely find ways to involve people. We would just love to know what resources and support is out there."

Those currently serving on the board are: the Rev. John Hutchinson, First United Methodist Church; Linda Hamann, The Larkin Center, who has had two sons participate in the program; Diane Roche, The Larkin Center; Dr. LaVeta Small, Youth Leadership Academy; Cheryl Wilkins, Centro de Informacion; the Rev. Willie Tate, Progressive Baptist Church, who had served as a Big Brother; Jonelle Geib, Aunt Martha's Youth Service; Darren Barr, Leader Board, who has served as a Big Brother; Griselda Hernandez, Carpentersville Police Department; Jennifer Orban, Far Northwest Suburban United Way; Joe McKeown, Illinois Progressive; Jim Krenz, Amy Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, who was involved in BBBS of Fox Valley; and Kimberly Foster Thomas, Garfield School.

To find out how you can help, contact Linda Kuhn at (815) 385-3855 or Linda@bbbsmchenry.org.

If you have any news about your club, school, church, business, neighbor, or even yourself, contact Kirstin Finneran by cell at (312) 518-4993 or e-mail at kirstinfinneran@comcast.net.