For the Rapids City Times

MARSHFIELD – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Wisconsin, along with more than 270 Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates across the country, unveiled a new, modern look and brand repositioning with a goal of recruiting more diverse volunteers.

“The need in Central Wisconsin for young people to have a role model is more urgent than ever,” said Dawn Cherek, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Wisconsin “To attract more volunteers of all generations, we needed a modernization of our brand to make an impact in the community and meet the need of the essential work of matching youth with mentors.”

The organization is intentionally pivoting from messages of the importance of mentoring, to messages of the urgent need for the adults in the community to step up to defend the potential of every child. The mission will remain the same, as will the core model of building bridges in communities by connecting one adult with one child and supporting that match at every stage, but the organization will focus on a child’s potential, and our role as adults in helping children achieve their best possible futures.

“In our community, we know that youth are facing numerous challenges. Our organization’s new brand is designed to help us ensure we can serve more children in Portage and Wood counties by recruiting more volunteers,” said Cherek. Right now, there are 70 children waiting to be matched. The greatest need is for male mentors, with boys waiting an average of one year to be matched with a Big Brother.

For more information, visit bbbs.org/bigpotential.