Change the Life of a Child by Donating to Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Auction
Big Brothers Big Sisters is planning an on-line auction to be held August 5-11 in conjunction with Everything But The House auction house at www.ebth.com.
“Our goal is to raise $20,000 to help match some of the 140 children on the waiting list with a Big Brother or Sister,” said Julie Dichtl, vice president of development for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County. “In order to reach our goal, we are seeking donations of items to be auctioned.”
All donations are tax deductible and need to be delivered to BBBS by July 1.
“We’re not looking for garage sale type items but rather items that could be sold for $40 to $50 at minimum,” Dichtl said. “Your donation will help change the life of a local child for the better, forever.”
For more information on the types of items needed, call 513-867-1227 or 513-424-3397, email julie.dichtl@bbbsbutler.org or send a photo.
About this series
The Middletown Journal/Hamilton JournalNews is highlighting area Butler County children who are waiting to be paired with a Big Brother or Big Sister.
Franklin High School freshman Austin Hall likes sports and French.
He makes As and Bs in his honors classes, and likes French best because he’s learning not just about the language but also the people who speak it.
But having been raised by a single mother and a father who lives out of the area and visits infrequently, Austin lacks a strong male role model in his life.
So three years ago, his mother Tara Flick signed him up for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, but due to a lack of male volunteers, he has spent the entire time on a waiting list along with 140 other Butler County children.
“I wish I had signed him up earlier,” Flick said, “but I had been under the impression that Big Brothers was for low-income families.”
Austin said he would like to have a Big Brother that can toss the ball with him and just hang out.
He has attended some of BBBS’s COUL Club programs — Club of Unmatched Littles — including a three-day football camp with former Cincinnati Bengal Anthony Munoz.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County has provided one-to-one mentoring to children since 1968,” said Marvin Torres, vice president of recruitment. “For 45 years we have helped children increase their social competencies, improve grades and achieve success in life.
“The BBBS branded mentoring program has been recognized for its effectiveness and has a strong record of empirical support,” he said.
The Big Brothers Big Sisters program is on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration national registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices and also recognized as an “Exemplary” model prevention program through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
“Locally, we are a Certified Prevention agency by the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services,” Torres said.
In 2012, the Butler County office served a total of 745 children between the ages of 6 and 18, placing 615 children with a one-to-one mentor and served another 130 COUL Club children.
There are currently 140 children waiting for a Big Brother or Sister.
“Having an adult who truly cares about them should not be a luxury or left up to chance,” Torres said. “They need a mentor who cares.”
For more information about mentoring, call 513-867-1227, or email marvin.torres@bbbsbutler.org.
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