Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma Inc.

BBBSOK’s school or site-based mentoring program allow Bigs to offer the same individualized time and attention to Littles on a consistent basis at the Little’s school or after-school program like Boys & Girls Club. Bigs and Littles meet weekly during school hours and utilize school resources such as the computer lab, library, gym, classroom, or playground. The Big-Little relationship promotes a positive school experience for the child: good attendance, positive peer and adult relationships, a positive attitude and academic achievement. Ideally, matches continue from one school-year to the next. During school breaks, the volunteer and child are encouraged to maintain their relationship through e-mails, letters or phone calls.

Our Amachi Program is a mentoring program especially for children of incarcerated parents. The Prison Policy Initiative reports that Oklahoma now has the highest incarceration rate in the world. Annie E. Casey reports that approximately 135,000 (or 15% of) Oklahoma children have experienced parental incarceration. According to the Oklahoma Commission for Children and Youth, children who experience parental incarceration are 70% more likely to also become incarcerated during their lifetime. Our focused, individualized mentoring is the only known and proven approach that will rescue children of incarcerated parents from this cycle. Because of the impact we make on this population of children, one of our two primary strategic objectives is to increase the percentage of children of incarcerated parents (Amachi) we serve through our community-based and school/site-based mentoring programs each year.