Funding Shortfall Could End Big Brothers Big Sisters Locally

SOMERS POINT — Hundreds of children face the loss of programs that have provided them mentors, role models, and best friends.
According to a release, those programs, which have been proven to decrease violence, drug use, alcohol abuse, and prevent 97 percent of participants from becoming involved with juvenile justice, could cease to exist in Atlantic and Cape May counties within the next few weeks due to the lack of funds to keep them going.
The legal guardian of a local child served by the agency reacted with great concern about the imminent closure. “This child has had so many things taken away from him already,” said Gwenette Inman. “He lost his mother when she died, his father was taken away by alcoholism, and his other family cast him away. But now he is so excited about being with his Big Brother.” The closing of the agency, she said, “would take away his stability and the reinforcement to help him grow up to be a well-rounded person.” 
It’s not just children who benefit from Big Brothers Big Sisters. The positive effects ripple out to the mentor, the child’s family, friends, school and beyond.
“My Little Brother is a perfect example of how important it is to reach out to a boy by a certain age,” said Stan, a local Big Brother for nine years.
“If we had never met, and if he had never gotten a Big Brother, I have no doubt he would have followed his sister’s path into drugs and gangs and probably would have dropped out of school and gotten into trouble with the law.” Instead, he is now a graduate, and is a mentor himself to an elementary-school child.
Unfortunately, despite the close bonds that the adult volunteers form with their “Littles,” the mentoring relationship between hundreds of school-based matches would legally have to end if the agency is forced to close the programs.
“Our programs work wonders for the children, but the last year has been rough,” said agency CEO Beatrix Jerkins. As the economy worsened, donations from individuals fell 52 percent behind budget.
Annual fundraising events garnered $350,000 less than the same events did three years ago. A number of grants expired. This year could be even worse. “All of the money that we would normally receive from the state budget for child services is cut out for 2009.”
Those shortfalls have already decreased the number of children the agency can serve. Expenses have been slashed. Staff has been reduced by both attrition and lay-offs. But it’s still not enough to keep the agency out of the red.
All that’s left to cut are the programs themselves. Jerkins, who has steered the organization for 15 years, faces the heartbreaking prospect of telling 200 children that the weekly school visit from their Big Brother or Big Sister won’t be happening much longer.
Big Brother Big Sisters of Atlantic and Cape May counties has applied for many grants to help make up the funding, but it’s a long process. It can take months to find out if a non-profit is even approved, let alone receive any money from a foundation. And it’s time that the agency just doesn’t have.
The organization needs about $30,000 per month to keep their valuable programs running and ensure child safety. Screening and orienting volunteers, interviewing children and adults for mentor-pairing, working with schools and parents, and providing oversight and on-going support, all take the careful work of trained professionals.
The budget shortfall from 2008, was bad enough, but now there isn’t enough cash flow coming in for January and February to make up the deficit or cover the expenses.
Some individual donations still come in from long-time supporters, but as the economy stays down, so do most donations, both in amount and in overall numbers.
“We need a miracle in order to save the programs for these children,” says Jerkins. “All of us are facing tough times, but many of these children have it even tougher than anyone else. To take this away from them now would be a staggering loss, both to them and to the whole community.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters needs help in order to keep providing their services to the children of Atlantic and Cape May counties. Without a major gift, Jerkins feels that their only hope of holding on through this period would be if a large number people were willing to help with small donations.
“If enough people could give as little as ten dollars a month, we could hold on. I hope that if the public knows what a blow it would be to children to lose their mentoring programs, they will want to help,” she stated.
Donations can be made by phone at 609-653-8250, online at www.bbbsatlanticcape.org or mailed to Big Brothers Big Sisters at 519 Shore Road, Somers Point, NJ 08244.