Celebrate National Mentoring Month with Big Brothers Big Sisters

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey Commemorates National Mentoring Month with Call to Action for residents to Empower Local Youth through Mentorship

In alignment with National Mentoring Month, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey (BBBSCNNJ) is launching a call to action for residents to help close the mentorship gap for local youth by making an impact through mentorship. 

Today, one in three kids in America are growing up without a sustained, positive adult mentor in their lives. The need for youth mentorship is critical in the New Jersey counties served by BBBSCNNJ, with approximately 100 youth currently on the waitlist for a mentor. The gap between mentorship and youth who need it most continues to widen due to perceived barriers of the time and expertise needed to become a mentor.

This January, BBBSCNNJ is shifting perceptions of mentorship and redefining the little everyday moments that can make a big impact on the lives of young people—time already spent going to a movie, sharing a slice of pizza, and getting coffee. BBBSCNNJ has three BBBS infoSessions planned for this month on January 11th at 12:30 pm, January 17th at 5:00 pm, and January 25th at 12:00 pm.

Each BBBS infoSession is 30 minutes long and held virtually on Zoom. A brief overview of the program and application process are shared plus other ways to get involved and support the BBBSCNNJ mission. Learn more and register for a BBBS infoSession here:
https://support.mentornj.org/campaigns/20559-bbbs-infosession

Volunteer mentors provide consistent guidance and friendship that our youth need to achieve their greatest potential,” said William Salcedo, BBBSCNNJ Executive Director. “With as little as 4-6 hours a month, you can make a positive, lasting difference in a young person’s life by becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister.”

For National Mentoring Month, BBBSCNNJ also invites the community to share their most pivotal mentorship moments, no matter how big or small, on all social media channels using the hashtag #BeBig. This tapestry of stories will serve as a testament to the significant impact and universality of mentorship moments. To learn more about becoming a mentor and bridging the gap between people and possibility, visit
​www.mentornj.org. and follow the agency at @bbbscnnj on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.