Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) has been a part of the Wichita County community for 17 years. It’s part of Big Brothers Big Sisters Lone Star which will celebrate its 100 year anniversary in Texas in 2027. The organization is a valuable part of any community it joins because it serves as an early form of mentoring for community kids and teaches them the value of community, compassion, and confidence through family-like bonds.

BBBS functions through volunteers who sign up to be paired with kids that are in the organization to be their “big brother” or “big sister”. Those volunteers regularly meet with the child they’ve been partnered with and simply spend time with them and teach them valuable life lessons of empowerment and involvement through conversation and activities. However, while the organization has had great success in inspiring young leaders in our community, this month they have many kids still waiting on volunteers to be paired with.

As a result, Jean Hall, the Market President for BBBS said they began an initiative called 25 by the 25th to find volunteers to pair with 25 kids. While some community members have stepped up, leaving only 22 kids still in need of a big brother or big sister, several volunteers are still needed and the window of time is closing in.

Hall said in a year, BBBS of Wichita County serves around 175 kids each year, and they currently have about 60 on their waiting list. This initiative is intended to address a large number of kids that are waiting. These children have been approved and enrolled in the program but cannot officially start without an adequate number of volunteers.

Hall feels the organization benefits the greater community in more ways than one. She said it improves the educational efforts of students, which contributes to a better educated workforce for Wichita Falls. She added that every dollar invested in mentorship returns about $3 in public benefit. She said this can be examined through better education, better jobs, and fewer kids in the criminal justice system.

Hall emphasized that BBBS isn’t just a social club, it has been proven to have a positive impact on the development of community children. She said a recent study reflected that kids that grew up in BBBS were 20% more likely to attend college and we’re 15% more likely to earn a higher income compared to students that didn’t experience mentorship growing up. She added that another study revealed that kids that were a part of BBBS were significantly less likely to struggle with addiction, skip school, or exact violence on others. Even into adulthood, Hall shared that previous BBBS kids reported that the program resulted in them having better grades, better ethics, and more overall confidence. 

“The impact is real, and it lasts a lifetime. A positive relationship with an adult helps them develop resilience to overcome challenges, and they develop stronger social-emotional skills and the ability to avoid risky behaviors,” Hall said.

Not only does the organization instill better habits and a healthier way of thinking in the kids involved, it also boosts their emotional well being, according to Hall. She recalled one child who had been enrolled in the program at nine years old after his father passed away. He was matched with an Airman from Sheppard Air Force Base and the two developed a real bond that she said allowed the boy to just be a kid again, knowing he was in a safe space. Hall said the boy even attended military ceremonies with his big, and when the time came for his big to receive new orders and move, they stayed in touch. Hall said the two of them stay in touch even today.

“That’s what a Big can be. Not a volunteer assignment, but a friend for life,” Hall said.

Hall also mentioned that she believes BBBS benefits volunteers just as much as it benefits the kids that participate in it. Hall also noted that her own father had participated in BBBS in the 1960s, before she was born. She said he volunteered for the organization for 10 years and still smiles today when recalls the time he helped his little brother pick out his first car. Seeing the impact so directly is one of the things that has made Hall so committed to the mission of BBBS.

She said volunteers come from all walks of life. She said they especially get a lot of college students and retirees because they have more time to commit. However, Hall explained that volunteering for BBBS doesn’t have to be a huge time commitment. Volunteers can simply be “lunch buddies” and have lunch with a child a few times a month and it still have a significant impact.

“About 7 in 10 of our volunteers are women, so we'd especially love to see more men step up. Half of the kids we serve are boys, and many of them are waiting for a Big Brother,” Hall said.

Hall feels that the 25 by the 25th initiative is particularly important because the holidays are a time when kids especially need to feel the comfort and support of family. For kids that don’t have that through the holidays, due to broken families, working parents, or any number of things, a big brother or big sister can make that difference. 

Hall said when people recall happy Christmas memories from their childhoods, they don’t cherish the gifts, they cherish the people that were around them. She expanded on this by saying that when I child finds out they’ve been chosen, they feel washed and valued.

“Someone is going to show up for you, just for you, all year long. That's a gift these kids will carry with them for the rest of their lives. The best gift you can give is the gift of your time,” Hall said.

To track the progress of the initiative, Hall said they use a small Christmas tree in their office and each time someone fills out a volunteer application, they hang an ornament with their name on the tree. She said since the time to accomplish the goal is ticking away, they’ve even turned the effort into a bit of an office competition, masking the urgency with holiday fun. Ultimately, the goal is to have as few kids as possible left on the waiting list during the holiday season.

Becoming a big is easy, too. Interested volunteers simply have to be at least 18 years old, fill out an application and have a background check completed. Hall said it’s also essential that volunteers be able to commit to continually showing up for one year, in which they will meet with their littles twice a month. She added that Lunch Buddies sign up for one school year and meet with their little for lunch two or three times a month. 

“We aren't looking for perfect people. We're looking for people who will be present. Everyone has wisdom from their own life experience to share, and that's exactly what these kids need,” Hall said.

For those who are interested in supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters but feel they don’t have any time to spare, there are other ways to get involved. Hall said these include donating, sponsoring, or providing activities for bigs and little to do together. 

Hall shared that donations allow them to cover several expenses, including screenings, purchasing items, and covering the costs of children joining the organization. She also added that community businesses can sponsor their efforts or provide free tickets or vouchers for events and activities. 

Lastly, those who want to help can continue to spread the word of what BBBS does for kids, volunteers, and the community. Hall said they’re holding their annual Dancing for the Stars fundraiser on February 12, 2027 and supporting that effort is another great way to help.

People who are interested in signing up to become a big brother or big sister can do so on the Big Brothers Big Sisters website or can call their office at 940-767-2447. Questions, information requestions, and volunteer interest can also be emailed to Alexis McDonald, the Vice President of Program, at amcdonald@bbbstx.org.

“When we invest in kids, the whole community wins,” Hall said. “Mentoring also brings people together who might never have met otherwise. A retiree, a nurse, or a college student having lunch with a third grader builds the kind of community we all want to live in.”