Big Brothers Big Sisters Keeps Connected with Youth During Social Distancing

Face-to-face meetings are a critical part of any youth mentoring program so when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Family Services of Westchester kicked into high gear to invent creative ways to keep the mentoring bonds strong. To keep its Bigs (adult mentors) and Littles (mentored children) connected BBBS quickly compiled and shared a list of over 50 ideas for virtual connection, many using Zoom, Skype or Facetime to work together on art projects, puzzles, homework or crafts.

Because many Littles live in households that lack computers, with the support of the BBBS Advisory Council and most generous donors, BBBS has been able to distribute dozens of laptops to help its Littles keep up with their schoolwork and their mentors. Also, with so many Littles no longer having access to the free school lunches they qualify for, BBBS has committed significant time and energy connecting its families with food pantry resources and coordinating food deliveries to those in need.

“We serve over 300 at-risk youth and their families in Westchester,” said BBBS Executive Val Brown, “and we’ll do everything in our power to make sure they stay connected and healthy during this unprecedented time.”