Topic Loveline got me into the "Big Brothers Big Sisters of America" program
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Hey guys!
Wanted to share a quick anecdote about how listening to Loveline got me involved in joining the “Big Brothers Big Sisters of America” program. This is a 1-on-1 mentoring program where you get paired up with a “Little” brother/sister, almost exclusively coming from underprivileged backgrounds.
Both Adam & Drew got me interested in this program in their own way…
Adam was actually a mentor in this program in his 20s and had two little brothers: Nate and Tim. Fans of the show will definitely remember his hysterical impression of Tim the Russian Rapper (“I’ve got backhand like John Mcenroe…”) but Adam reveals his caring nature when mentioning this program. I’ve linked a show here (audio at 0:51:50) where you can hear him getting a little emotional when he talks about how much these big brothers change the lives of their Littles.
Drew has stated that among youth who were raised in abusive and chaotic environments, about 50% will grow up to perpetuate this lifestyle. He says that studies have found 1 common element among the 50% who are spared: a single positive influence outside of the home. That’s it. Whether it be a coach, teacher, or whatever, this is potentially the single life preserver that can save a person’s life.
I’m currently on my second Little brother and the growth I’ve seen is unbelievable… it’s also had a pretty profound change on how I’ve approached my own life. If anyone is interested in donating their time to a great cause, I highly recommend this one:
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
My only affiliation to this program is as a Big and I do not benefit in any way from recruiting others. It is free to join and they explicitly tell you to NOT spend a lot of money on your Little. It is the time that you donate which is so valuable to them and it really is not an exorbitant amount of time (I see my Little once every 2 weeks for a couple of hours). . The truly heartbreaking part is the waitlist for a Big Brother is so huge and there are Littles who are waiting for months and years to be paired up. Mine was on the waiting list for 6 months.
These are kids who have been abused & abandoned and you have the chance to 100% change their life around. Having someone who is present to tell them that they matter and hold them accountable makes a world of difference after they have been neglected their whole lives.
Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope this reaches some people out there 🙂
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