Beckley Office - Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central West Virginia

About Us


Mission
It is the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central West Virginia to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.

Vision
Successful mentoring relationships for all children who need and want them, contributing to better schools, brighter futures, and strong communities for all.

History
Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central West Virginia was chartered in March of 1995 as a non-profit youth organization. Since it's inception, we have been dedicated to assisting young people and at-risk youth, strengthening our communities and promoting the importance of giving back to develop future leaders and a hand-up to those in need.



Today we are striving to meet the growing need for mentors in the communities we serve and expanding the services we provide. We work closely with teachers, parents, guardians, social workers and officials from the juvenile justice system to provide mentors to children who need a champion to encourage them and to help them navigate what are often difficult decisions in life.

Volunteers
The most vital role of anyone involved with our organization is that of our wonderful volunteers. They are caring, committed adults who are willing to devote some of their time to helping at-risk youth in our community. They literally make THE difference in the life of their Little.

There are a few minimum requirements for becoming a "Big" Brother, Sister, or Couple for our agency. The volunteer must be at least nineteen years of age and reside in either Kanawha, Jackson or Putnam county. The adult must have a valid drivers license and reliable transportation. Furthermore, in order to volunteer, a "Big" must be willing to commit to at least one year of volunteer service. We ask that adults volunteer six to eight hours per month.

Programs
One-on-one relationships between an adult volunteer (or volunteer couple) and an at-risk child between the ages of six and 20 has been the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters for more than 100 years. In order to serve more children and enhance match relationships, the agency also provides group activities and community service projects throughout the year.

We offer four distinct programs: community-based; school-based; program for adjudicated youth; and case management and assistance with the Mountaineer Challenge Academy mentoring program component.

Funding
Funding for the organization comes from various sources including generous individual and corporate donors, special events like Bowl For Kids' Sake, and grant funding. This grass-roots support for programming and activities is the heart of our community service organization. Big Brothers Big Sisters has also worked with government and local foundations to obtain grant support for the agency. The money we raise stays here in the community to support the programs we provide.