GREENVILLE — The Harry D. Stephens Memorial Trust Fund recently awarded a grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is designed to create and support one to one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. This grant in specific will assist with purchases for the mentoring programs in Darke County. The mentoring programs consist of many volunteers and littles. These programs are designed for all youth to achieve their full potential and provide mentoring along the way. One of the programs is called Big Buddies and it consist of a nine-month commitment where high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors volunteer two times per month to mentor elementary students. During these meetings, high school students, under the supervision of Big Brothers Big Sisters staff, work with one or two children on different educational and recreational activities. We also have community-based programs that provide an adult aged Big Brother or Big Sister with a child-aged Little Brother or Little Sister doing activities that they enjoy. Activities may include fishing, playing board games, baking cookies, or going to ball games. The bigs and littles get to enjoy this time together on their own schedule at least two times per month.
The Harry D. Stephens Memorial Trust Fund began in 1990. Over the past 30 years, the trust fund has distributed over $1.8 million to the benefit of Greenville area residents. Interest income is appreciated in June and December each year. Application forms can be obtained from the Darke County Chambers of Commerce office at 130 Martz St., Suite 5 in Greenville. Big Nonprofits like Brothers Big Sisters feel blessed to have the support from trust funds like the Harry D. Stephens Trust Fund. With their support, the organization is able to purchase supplies needed for the volunteers and littles in the after-school Big Buddies programs within the two-county service area.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a non-profit United Way partner agency. The agency currently has over 20 children ready and waiting to be matched with a caring adult. Anyone interested in volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters can contact the agency at 937-492-7611, 937-547-9622 or go to www.bigbrobigsis-shelbydarke.org for more information.
