Salisbury- Mayor Jake Day is pleased to announce that the City will partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Eastern Shore to develop City Bigs—a mentorship program between city staff and local children in need.
Employees were introduced to the program at the semiannual citywide all-staff meeting earlier this week. Robert McClure of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Eastern Shore gave a presentation which outlined how mentorship works and why it’s so important in our community. “Right now we have over sixty children on the wait list,” said McClure. “These are children who, in some cases, just need an older role model to play basketball with them. It’s about connections and relationships.”
City employees who answer the call to serve will be allowed to do so on-the-clock, receiving their normal pay for up to two hours per month while mentoring.
“We’re all busy, and making time to get involved can be a deal breaker for some–and that’s absolutely understandable. By making the option to mentor part of an employee’s workweek, we’re taking away the challenge of fitting something new into their out-of-work lives,” said Mayor Day.
Matches are made with the goal of creating long-term friendships which will last beyond the mentee’s childhood. The program utilizes both school-based and community-based mentorship models, providing flexibility for staff to have a strong impact upon their mentee.
“It’s an idea that has been met with overwhelming positivity and interest by our employees already,” added the Mayor. “That’s 435 potential mentors for children right here in our community, just within this organization. Imagine what we could do if other businesses and organizations followed suit.”
If you are an individual or member of an organization which would be a good fit for a similar program, contact Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Eastern shore at 410-543-2447, or online at www.shorebiglittle.org
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