Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota
County > Southern Minnesota > Winona
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Winona
Counties Served: Winona 
Contact:Lisa Lundquist
158 Main Street
Winona, MN 55987 
Phone:
507-452-2227
Fax:
507-457-0581
Email:
lisal@bbbswinona.org
Website:
www.bbbswinona.org
Ages Served:6 to 14
Involvement Period:Traditional “Bigs” commit to meeting or contacting “Littles” weekly for at least one year.  Most of the time this is one-to-one meeting for 2-3 hours.  School-based “Bigs” meet with elementary-level children weekly for approximately an hour during a school year.  Activities enjoyed by matches include; bike rides, making cookies, art projects, taking walks, playing cards, telling jokes, enjoying BBBS-sponsored monthly activities, watching movies, making music, and talking.
Program Description
We effectively match children with caring adult mentors to share time, experiences, friendship and fun that help children become caring, confident, competent adults. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Winona is an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Coulee Region (LaCrosse, WI).  The service region extends to several counties in Southeastern Minnesota.  BBBS of Greater Winona made its first match in 1999 and grew to well over 150 open matches in 2006.

Youth Served
The common characteristic of all children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters is that they can truly benefit from consistently spending one-to-one time with a caring adult.  The ethnic, socio-economic, and family backgrounds of “Littles” are diverse.

Mentor Profile
“Bigs” are adults who are committed to sharing time, experiences, and friendship with a “Little.”  Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and may be working community members, Big Couples, university students, retired individuals, etc.

School-based “Bigs” are often upper-level high-school students who are able to volunteer so long as their contact with “Littles” is on school grounds.

 

Application Process
Volunteers provide brief personal information and references on the initial application.

An in-depth interview is scheduled and Big Brothers Big Sisters conducts background checks. 

Families provide some background information and permission for their child to become a “Little.”

After acceptance, volunteers are carefully matched with a child based on common goals for the relationship, interests, and preferences.  Case Managers help the families, volunteers, and children by speaking with them monthly to make sure the match is successful and fun.

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Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota - 81 South Ninth Street, Suite 200 - Minneapolis, MN 55402
612.370.9180 - mentor@mentoringworks.org
State Partner of MENTOR