Success Story...
"Shanndon and his volunteer mentor, Seth, were matched in 2018 when Shanndon was 12 years old. Shanndon's mother enrolled him in the program in hopes that we could connect him with an additional positive male role model. She wanted someone who would help him to improve his social confidence and create a male bond focused soeely on Shanndon.
Since we made the match, Shanndon's mother and Seth have both noted many benefits of mentoring. Shanndon's mother has stated that "having a Big Brother mentor who has similar interests has helped [him] have a father-like bond. Seth has been awesome for Shanndon and he has welcomed [Shanndon] into his family - Seth's family has also included Shanndon in their lives."
We continue to document the development of the match. Shanndon is now a junior in high school. Seth dotes on his Little and told staff recently that he feels Seth is "noticeably more confident and self-assertive [than when they were first matched]. He has a job that he is dedicated to and he has become a very good athlete and competitor" while balancing his time between academics and personal commitments. Seth is impressed with the achievements of his Little and Seth and Shanndon always look forward to spending time together.
We have very high hopes for Shanndon."