Our Impact
OUR MISSION IS URGENT
- Approximately 90,000 Utah kids ages 6 to 18 are living in poverty
- There are 44,000 Utah kids who have experienced separation from a parent due to incarceration
- Suicide is the #1 cause of death among Utah youth ages 11-17
- More than one-third of all people who came to Utah as refugees are kids (24,000)
- Nearly 5,000 kids per year go through the foster care system in Utah; 72% of the new cases are related to parental substance abuse
- Youth who have a mentor for at least 12 months are more likely to avoid risky behaviors, have better relationships and do better in school.
We believe that potential lives within every kid. For more than 40 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah has been defending that potential to help kids, “Littles,” who face many challenges in their lives. With the help of our volunteer mentors, “Bigs,” we prioritize youth protection and youth development to help kids thrive. Our work is based on the best available research, guided by community need and administered by caring professionals. Together, we are building the biggest possible futures for Utah kids.
Our average match length is 26 months for Community-Based matches and 17 months for Site-Based matches.
Reducing risky behaviors now can improve long-term outcomes for kids and 84% of BBBSU Littles said they are less likely to engage in risky behaviors after being with their mentor for a year or more.
Social acceptance is associated with both better friendships and better behavior in school; 94% of BBBSU Littles reported increased social acceptance after being with their mentor for a year or more.
Only 1 in 3 people will grow up with a mentor in their life; having a trusted adult in addition to a parent leads to better grades and improved graduation rates. 96% of BBBSU Littles report having a trusted adult role model.
Where Our Revenue Comes From
The average Utah volunteer’s time is worth $24.99 per hour. In 2018, 1,309 Utah volunteers cumulatively devoted more than 100,000 hours to their BBBSU Little Brothers and Little Sisters. The in-kind dollar value of the time Utah mentors donated to our organization in 2018 is more than $2.7 million.
