Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine MOMENTUM September 2018 | Page 29

Non-Profit of the Month By: Shannon Burke Gulf Coast Big Brothers Big Sisters [email protected] Igniting the Potential to Succeed You could hear a pin drop as Little Brother Justin struggled to find the words. He had just been asked to tell his Big Brother how it felt to have him in his life. He’d been matched with Seth for only four months, but it was easy to see that a strong friendship had already developed. With his head lowered and his gaze fixed on his shoes, the silence seemed to stretch on for an eternity. When he did find his words, the impact of them hit me with an emotional wave that I was not expecting. With sudden tears falling from his big brown eyes, Little Brother Justin simply said, “It just makes me happy that you’re here.” Watch more of their conversation at www.mentorsgc.org. Since being matched, Justin has opened up more and even calls his Big Brother to talk about problems he’s having in school. His Mom Kathryn turned to Gulf Coast Big Brothers Big Sisters to find a male role model for him after his Dad passed away. At twelve years old, Kathryn felt Justin needed someone to do “guy things” with and to help boost his self- esteem. Seth and Justin are part of our Comm unity-Based program, doing things they enjoy as their schedules allow. Like many of the Little Brothers on our waiting list, Justin has all the potential to succeed but he needed a positive male role model to help ignite that potential. The two try to hang out once a week for an hour or two each time. “I don’t think the time commitment is an excuse NOT to be a Big Brother,” says Seth. As a medical student at UTMB his schedule doesn’t allow much free time, but he uses his study breaks to hang out with his Little Brother. Whether it’s riding the ferry in Galveston to watch for dolphins or playing soccer on the beach, Seth understands that being a Big means being consistent. No matter how busy his schedule may be, he makes sure to find time for Justin. 28 MOMENTUM / September 2018 If he didn’t have his Big Brother in his life, Justin says he’d be back to playing video games like he always did. “Most times I felt lonely and stayed in my room because I have no one to play with. With Seth, I don’t feel so lonely anymore.” Since 1975, Gulf Coast Big Brothers Big Sisters has worked hard to match as many kids who want a mentor as possible. Each year we interview and support hundreds of volunteers who meet regularly with kids in the community, in schools, and even in the volunteer’s workplace. Typically, about 70% of the inquiries are to enroll Little Brothers, while only 30% of the volunteer applicants are men. This major imbalance means that 94% of the kids on our waiting list are boys. Seth wishes more men would get involved with GCBBBS. “You will never regret becoming a Big Brother. It will be rewarding no matter what.” Sign up at www.mentorsgc.org, [email protected], or 409-763-4638.