bgc blog
Local Groups Join Forces for the Mentoring Children of Prisoners Grant - March 3, 2008
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas, partnering with the Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club of Fayetteville is covered under the federal Mentoring Children of Prisoners (MCP) grant to provide mentors (Bigs) to children (Littles) in Washington County. This partnership with the Boys & Girls Club enhances the program by providing recruitment opportunities and referrals for children who can benefit from services.
The MCP grant, through the Department of Health and Human Services, kicked off October 1, 2007, awarding $50,000 to the Donald W. Reynolds’ Boys & Girls Club to work with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Arkansas to administer the program. With this MCP program, 33 youth between the ages of 6 and 14 will be matched in Washington County this year.
There are currently 11 children matched and more waiting to be matched through this special program, which requires one parent or guardian currently in state or federal prison. Through the MCP program, Big Brothers Big Sisters made its 1000th match! Big Brother Hunter House, a freshman at the University of Arkansas, was matched with Little Brother Brandon at the Donald W. Reynolds’ Boys & Girls Club February 19, 2008. Both Hunter and Brandon enjoy playing basketball and attending sporting events, which they will be able to do on their outings to the Boys & Girls Club. This 1000th match, the 2008 Bigs of the Year and special alumni matches will be honored Saturday, March 8 at the Big Brothers Big Sisters Birthday Bowl at Ozark Lanes, celebrating 15 years in NWA!
Statistics for children of prisoners show that parental separation can have profound consequences for the child, with loss of financial support and weakened ties to the incarcerated parent. Immediate effects can include feelings of shame, social stigma, changes in family composition, increased delinquency, poor school performance and increased risk of abuse and neglect. Long-term effects can range from the questioning of parental authority, negative perceptions of police and the legal system, and increased dependence. Children enrolled in Big Brothers Big Sisters’ programs are: less likely to use drugs and alcohol, less likely to skip class and school, more likely to graduate from high school and attend college, and more likely to get along better with family and peers.