WESTBROOK, Maine — A mentor can play a pivotal role in a child's life, and one organization whose mission is to provide mentorship to hundreds of kids in Southern Maine is struggling to fill that role.
“There are so many more out there that need us," Eileen Veroneau Brown, a mentor for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Maine and the organization's director of development, said.
When Veroneau Brown began mentoring as a "Big" four years ago, she had no idea her "Little" would leave as big of an impact on her, as vice versa.
“Well, what’s been so special about this program was that I got to be matched with Eileen," 11-year-old Rhiannon Curran-Sanderson said.
Curran-Sanderson was matched with Veroneau Brown in November 2019, and the pair's match has prospered into a life-changing friendship.
At first, Curran-Sanderson said she thought it was awesome just to have someone to hang out with. "Then it became much more than that. I have a special bond with Eileen," she said.
However, not all children are as fortunate. The Southern Maine program has served 296 children this year but has 53 kids on the waitlist waiting for a mentor: 38 boys, and 15 girls. The organization said male mentors are more difficult to come by, and boys typically wait at least 6-12 months longer than girls.
“We just want to be able to give every child the opportunity to learn all that they can and be as fulfilled and happy as they can," Veroneau Brown said. “Being a parent myself has been the most fulfilling thing in my life, and so I knew that I just wanted to share more experiences with other younger children."
Big Brothers Big Sisters has organizations in Bath/Brunswick and Mid-Maine, as well. Mid-Maine's program currently has 106 youth on the waitlist, according to its executive director.
“If every kid in the world had a match, then there would probably like be no unhappiness. If every single match was like Eileen, if every single big was like Eileen," Curran-Sanderson said. “That would be perfect.”
A mentor must be at least 18 years old, complete an application, and background check, provide references, and complete a training program, but Veroneau Brown describes it as an easy process because you're paired with a program manager to help you every step of the way. The average age of a mentor is 38-50 years old, the organization said.
“This is more than just a match. This is a friendship," Veroneau Brown said.
A friendship that isn't ending any time soon.
“I will see this lady forever. I will be friends with this person forever," Curran-Sanderson said.
If you're interested in learning more about how to become a mentor, click here for Southern Maine, Mid-Maine, and Bath/Brunswick.