BBBSC’s 2021 Community Holiday Party.
Little Adrian and Big Tiffany have been matched since October 2016 in the Community-based program. When they first met, Tiffany could not believe Adrian’s energy and excitement and realized that BBBSC certainly paired two extreme extroverts together! Adrian had so many questions for Tiffany and wasn’t afraid to share anything with her, from what’s going on at school to future life goals.
Tiffany shares that she has seen tremendous growth in Adrian over the last five years since they first met, when Adrian was nine years old, “She has a wonderful spirit and a contagious laugh. I am so proud of the young woman she is becoming. She speaks up for others and is never afraid to speak her mind, she dreams big and one day wants to be a DJ on the radio. She always motivates herself to work hard in school.”
Like many, Adrian was experiencing “Zoom fatigue” last year due to all her online learning. When restrictions loosened and in-person match activities started happening again, they were both excited to participate together. When in-person school started up again in the fall, it made a notable difference for Adrian. Previously, when Tiffany asked her about school, she wasn’t her usual excited self when talking about friends or updates with her studies. But last fall, as Adrian and Tiffany took Tiffany’s dog for a walk, Adrian was talking so fast about her first week of school, new friends, her teachers, and her hopes for the year. Tiffany was delighted to see her confidence, optimism, and positive attitude return.
The past few months, Adrian has been going through a difficult time with her family. Tiffany has been there to support her and listen to her. Even with this family hardship, Adrian still wanted to participate in the BBBSC holiday party at the ice rink.
When Tiffany picked Adrian up from her home, she was quieter than her usual energetic self. However, she was able to open up on the drive to the ice rink and talk to Tiffany about the difficulties she is facing. Tiffany shares, “I feel fortunate that Adrian trusts me and can be honest with me. As I listened to her, I just kept thinking how incredibly brave and strong she is for her age. Difficult times like these are when programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado truly make a significant impact on individuals’ lives.”
Bigs are there for the ups and downs of growing up in a Little’s life. As well as making happy memories together, experiencing new things and celebrating the good times, Bigs are also there to support Littles through the difficult times. They are a trusted confidant and provide a listening ear for Littles to share what’s on their mind. This helps build resilience in young people, strengthening them to overcome their challenges.
To donors, Tiffany says, “Thank you for your contribution to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado. These experiences and memories would not be possible without people like you!”