BBBSNEW Blog

Door County Community Foundation Grants $1,000 to BBBSNEW

GREEN BAY, WI — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin (BBBSNEW) is proud to announce it has been awarded a $1,000 grant from the Door County Community Foundation, Inc., in support of one-to-one mentoring programs in Door County.

Big Sister Lori Vorphal and Little Sister Kali share treats with a cow at The Farm near Sturgeon Bay.

The Foundation has been a consistent and important source of support for Door County youth mentoring, which has grown substantially in the past 13 years. In 2018, more than 130 children were served in communities from Brussels, Sturgeon Bay, Forestville to Gibraltar, Fish Creek and Washington Island.

“Our Door County youth mentoring program is special because not only do we have matches spread across the county, but a large percent of our Bigs are high school students who mentor grade schoolers in their district,” said Patty O’Rourke, Door County coordinator. “Being a mentor as a high school student gives those students just as much benefit as the Littles, and we’re so proud when our Littles get to high school and they choose to be Bigs themselves.”

Door County youth mentoring programs continue to grow because of strong relationships with school districts including Gibraltar, Sturgeon Bay, Southern Door and Washington Island, but also through community connections including the Sturgeon Bay Police Department and Door County Sheriff’s Department. Nearly 10 law enforcement officers are matched through BBBSNEW’s Bigs with Badges-Door County program.

“When an officer is a Big for an elementary school child, this provides a huge boost of confidence to the kiddo,” O’Rourke said. “But an even more significant gain is for the law enforcement agency, whose officer is helping to build connections with young people and improve community relations as a whole.”

The Foundation funds will partially offset annual operating costs for youth mentoring this year.

Anyone interested in learning more about the program, volunteering, enrolling a child or providing support can contact O’Rourke at 920-489-3545 or pattyo@bbbsnew.org, or go online to bbbsnew.org.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Wisconsin is the premier youth mentoring organization serving Brown, Door and Shawano counties, serving more than 600 children in 2018. Our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Founded in 1972, we are a 100 percent donor and volunteer supported nonprofit organization.