WISH LIST $2500: recruitment, screening, training and on-going support of a One-To-One mentoring relationship for 1 year or more; $5000: printing new recruitment materials for the "Pass It On" Culturally Diverse Recruitment Campaign $25,000: a van for educational, recreational and cultural trips !

A Big Brother or Big Sister is someone who has found ways to succeed in life – and cares enough to pass the lessons along. At the heart of the program is the belief that children need the guidance, structure, and support of a relationship with a caring adult. Pairing local children aged 8-18 from single parent families with a carefully screened, committed volunteer, BBBSNCA makes a positive difference in thousands of young lives. Support is provided to children through professionally guided, one-to-one relationships or through school-based mentorships, and to parents through advocacy, crisis intervention, casework support, and resource referrals –on 90 cents of every dollar. BBBSNCA also creates programs that reflect the special needs of the Washington community – Hermanos Y Hermanas Mayores reaches out to the Latino community, and Building Positive Futures addresses teen pregnancy. Research shows that children in these programs are 70% less likely to use drugs, and that 58% have higher grades and self-esteem than their wait-listed peers. But hundreds of children are waiting.The goal is to double the number of mentoring relationships – to exceed 10,000 by 2010. BBBSNCA thinks every child should have a Big Brother or Big Sister. Don’t you?

Paul F Bliss, President Washington Regional Office, 10210 Greenbelt Road, Suite 900 Lanham, MD 20706 301-794-9170, ext 18 www.bbbsnca.org