BIG BROTHERSBIG SISTERS AGENCY OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY INC

The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County is to provide childrenfacing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported, one-to-onerelationships that change their lives for the better,forever. Since 1982, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County has served over 7,500 at-risk youth by creating mentoring relationships between these children and carefully screened adultvolunteers, who provide consistent guidance, friendship and appropriate rolemodeling. The vision statement of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County is:"All youth achieve their potential."Last fiscal year the Agency provided mentoring services to 150 ethnically diverseclients throughout Santa Cruz County. Big Brothers Big Sisters recruits volunteers to mentor those children at greatest risk of school truancy, drop-out, drug use, teen pregnancy and/or criminal activity. Over 80% of Agency clients live below the federal poverty level, the majority are living in single-parent homes, and many are struggling due to cultural and language barriers. Big Brothers Big Sisters' mentoring services help these children to believe in and achieve their potential in addition to making healthier decisions for their futures.The Agency has one primary program, the One-To-One Program. Volunteers serve asmentors in one-to-one relationships with children between the ages of 7 and 18.Potential volunteers go through a rigorous intake process, which includes anapplication, references, DMV report, criminal history check, interviews and training. Volunteers meet a minimum of twice a month with their Little and spend 6 to 10 hours each month with the children they are matched to, for a minimum of one year. The average match at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County lasts over two and a half years. The agency served 55 youth in mentoring last year.Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County conducts ongoing outcome evaluation ofits programs. Recent outcome evaluation of surveyed parents in the One-To-One Program found a 88% improvement in participating children's self-confidence; a 90%improvement in youth's ability to avoid delinquency; and a 87% improvement in thechildren's attitude toward school. Results from a recent evaluation of children andparents in the Enrichment and Mentoring Program found that 80% percent of the youthbelieved that their interest in school had improved, while 100% of surveyed parentssaw an improvement in their children's school grades.Big Brothers Big Sisters strives to find a place for all who want to be a part of the solution, whether as mentors, Board Members, tutors, special event fundraisers, or office volunteers. Last fiscal year, over 140 volunteers channeled their efforts to help Big Brothers Big Sisters achieve its goals and objectives. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Santa Cruz County's organizational efficiency is key to its programmatic success.