Heart of Illinois Big Brothers Big Sisters

Description

In our own lives, each of us was influenced by someone- other than our parents- who broadened our horizons and brought a little magic into our lives. A Big Brother or Big Sister can do the same for a child. And both will be forever changed by the experience.

It doesn't take any special training to be a friend and have a good time. No talent is required to take a kid to his first baseball game, or to spend an afternoon in the park. Anybody can toss a ball, go for a walk, or watch old movies and pop some popcorn. Anyone can be a Big. That's part of the magic of it.

Research has found that after being matched for 18 months, Little Brothers and Little Sisters were:

• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs.
• 27% less likely to begin using alcohol.
• 53% less likely to skip school, and 37% less likely to skip a class.
• More confident of their performance in schoolwork
• Less likely to hit someone, and getting along better with their families.