Red Deer Youth and Volunteer Centre hopes to raise $80,000 again this year for Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Red Deer from the 32nd annual Bowl For Kids event held Sunday.
The agency’s biggest fundraising project of the year raised $75,000 in 2010 and $80,000 last year.
About 50 percent of the annual $160,000 operating budget must be raised from the community. The other half comes from United Way of Central Alberta and municipal funding to pay staffing costs.
“What we try and fundraise is the operating dollars to actually run the programs. It costs about $2,500 a year to support a match in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program.
That means screening, the recruitment, training, support for the volunteer, and the small group activities for the child,” said John Johnston, fund development manager with Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Between 400 and 500 people split into 80 teams raised pledges and participated in Bowl For Kids.
Servus Credit Union was the presenting sponsor.Janessa McCormack, volunteer resource co-ordinator with Big Brothers, Big Sisters, said about 50 children and youth, age five to 17, are matched with adults, and another 40 are part of the in-school mentoring program at 14 elementary schools where they are matched with community volunteers or high school students from Hunting Hills High School and River Glen School.
“The demand is definitely increasing. It’s steady. We are never without youth on our wait list,” McCormack said.
Big Brothers, Big Sister currently has about 28 children and youth waiting for a traditional match and about 50 more volunteers would be useful for the in-school program.
The demand jumps with the promotion for Bowl For Kids, and Big Brothers, Big Sisters helps families in many ways, she said.
“People are working double jobs so their kids need to have that extra supportive person. We also have parents who are physically disabled and aren’t able to take their kids skating or swimming and it’s great to have a big brother or sister who can do that.”
Many children from single parents families are part of the program, McCormack said. “A couple hours a week makes such a difference to these kids.”
Big Brothers, Big Sisters can help kids stay in school longer, give kids who are bullied more confidence and can encourage bullies to change their attitude, she said.
szielinski@www.reddeeradvocate.com