Testimonials

These are just a few stories of the over 300 matches served by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Washington.

Being a Big changed Keith’s life and Gavin’s...

I’d been thinking about being a Big Brother for several years, but could never get quite motivated enough to go to the office and sign up.  Finally I made a resolution to take the plunge and see what the program was all about.  Looking back several years later, I’ve never regretted my decision to get involved.

From the initial interview with staff until meeting up with my “little”, I was very impressed with the professionalism and dedication of the BBBS staff.  They were thorough in the interview process and asked what qualities I would like in my match and what kind of activities I envisioned during our time together.  I could tell they wanted to get the right match to make our experience a success.

A meeting was arranged and I met Gavin, which began a three year Big Brother mentoring relationship for me.  Gavin was obviously excited about the program and was enthusiastic to connect any chance we got, even if we didn’t have anything specific planned.  We both liked to fish, and I taught him a few new tactics.  On the other hand, I learned that there were some flavors of chips and sodas that I never would have dreamed of.  Gavin and I went bowling, swimming, to movies, and sometimes just hung out.  It was a commitment every month, but one I found myself looking forward to.  It also kept me on the lookout for new and fun things to do.

Gavin confided in me on a variety of issues over the duration of our match, and I like to think I helped steer him in the right direction on a few occasions.  I stayed in touch with Gavin as he entered high school, and seeing him mature and gain confidence as he aged was rewarding.  I had a lot of fun meeting Gavin and also being a Big Brother, and plan to do it again in the future.  

Throughout my involvement in the program, the staff, Gavin’s mom, and Gavin himself were enthusiastic, appreciative, and made me feel like I was doing a good thing. If you are considering being a Big Brother or Big Sister, I highly recommend it.  I think you will find being a mentor rewarding, challenging, and a lot of fun.

 

What a Big Brother did for Nicole’s son…

My name is Nicole, and I'm a busy, self-employed, single-mother of an amazing 8 year-old boy named Nickolas. Nick and I have been on our own for awhile now and have truly been to hell and back. We have survived living through domestic violence and are really proud of how far we have come from where we once started. My son has been without a dad since he was 8 months old. The void and absence that this has caused within our lives is something that has brought me a lot of heartache and sadness.
 
I was extremely fortunate to have learned about Big Brothers Big Sisters while we were living at Dorothy Place. Although, Nick was put on a waiting list that was over a year long, I must say that it was well worth the wait!
 
Little did I know that we would get matched with the perfect "Big Brother," for Nick, this amazing man's name is David. David and Nick hit it off right away by doing some of the things that Nick loves best, being outdoors, spending quality time together, bonding and playing with some pretty amazing creatures that Mother Nature provides.
 
We have been truly blessed to have known David for over a year and to have him be a part of Nick's life. David may not know it, but the type of impact that he has made in my son's life is one that brings tears to my eyes as I write this letter. David is helping to fill the all too important role of being a much needed healthy male figure in my son's life. (Thankfully, Nick is also blessed to have a wonderful and healthy role model that his Grandpa provides as well and does an unbelievable job with!) For a young boy I think that one of the most important things for him to have in his life is a man to look up to, to learn from and to gain insight, knowledge and skills into what it means to be a "very good man." This is what David is for my son, but I see him also, "A True Hero Within Our Lives!"
 
Thank you from the bottom of my heart David! When you decided to make a huge difference in our lives and volunteer for the 'Big Brother/Big Sister,' program without an expectation of compensation, you sacrificed a part of yourself that my son is benefiting so much from. What else could any person in my shoes ask for? You're the best!"

 

How being a Big changed Mike Murphy’s life…

It was 1982, and I was a physics/astronomy student at WWU.  Being that I only owned a 10-speed bicycle, I rode the city bus quite regularly.  Many of the buses had posters advertising the BBBS program - I recall they had pictures of a young kid with an older "Big Brother/Big Sister", and a question similar to "Do you want to make a difference in a child's life?" I grew up in a family of 13 kids and so grew up without much attention or guidance in my life, and perhaps that is why I found myself at 21 years old with a strong desire to befriend and guide a young child that lacked a close friend and mentor.

So, soon I found myself at the BBBS office being interviewed by a wonderful BBBS caseworker (her name was Gloria), and soon after that matched with a 10-year-old boy named Glenn.  Glenn's mother, Joan, was deaf, and so couldn’t drive, and she was not comfortable going out in public. Glenn's father was absent from his life.  This made it very difficult for a very active and stir-crazy little boy who was crazy about sports (mostly baseball and basketball).

That eventful day when I first met Glenn and his mother at their modest home in south Bellingham is burned into my memory like few other memories in my life, and just recalling it now is making tears roll down my face. The door was opened by a shy little boy wearing his little league uniform and carrying a mitt and baseball (he knew by my bio that I liked baseball as well, and so he was prepared to make an impression!).  I could tell he was just as excited as me at the prospect of meeting a new friend that was likely going to become very special. Glenn lead me into the living room to meet with Gloria and his mother, and we spent the next half hour all getting to know each other's personalities - much of the communication being with Glenn's mother via hand-signing and with Glenn as translator. Then Glenn and I were allowed to walk to the elementary school a few blocks away to play catch and hit some baseballs for about an hour. We were kindred spirits from that point on, and spent many, many hours each week for the next 4 years being little brother and big brother. Glenn now had someone to watch him play in his little league games!  I played basketball frequently at various courts around town, including the WWU gymnasium on Saturdays.  Glenn would sometimes watch me play from the sidelines, and there was a few instances when we needed a extra body to play a game. Well, even at 11 years-old, Glenn was such a talented athlete that he was able to keep up with some of the 20-year-olds!

It took only a couple months before Glenn was well-known in that WWU gym and had no problem being able to be accepted as part of my team. You would not believe how much that shy little boy blossomed over that first year we were together, and the special bond that was created.

After graduating from WWU and moving here to Richland, I still was able to visit Glenn and his mother on occasion, and watched him grow into such a fine young man. Him and his mother eventually moved to New York City, and the last I heard from Glenn was that he was on the list to become a NYC fireman.

I am now married and have an 11-year-old boy, and when we play catch I often think back to those days many years ago.