Home

1-25 of 130

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Categories

Mentoring Programs
Boys/Girls Clubs
Literacy Programs
Team Sports/Leagues
Tutoring Services

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Categories

Mentoring Programs
Boys/Girls Clubs
Literacy Programs
Team Sports/Leagues
Tutoring Services

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Categories

Mentoring Programs
Boys/Girls Clubs
Literacy Programs
Team Sports/Leagues
Tutoring Services
The PALS program pairs Luther College students with area elementary and middle-school students to provide one-on-one relationships between the student volunteers and children ages 5 to 15 who would like or need companionship. Children with special needs are matched first (i.e. disabilities, single parent households). The volunteers meet with their child at least once each month and a group recreational activity is scheduled monthly.
Works to find creative ways to respond to complex issues affecting young men and women and assist them in overcoming obstacles hindering their educational experiences. The academy provides youth with individual, group, and family counseling to address issues at school and at home, teaches students how to develop self-respect, respect for others, and personal accountability.

Volunteers (Bigs) are matched with children, teen, and young adult mentees ("Littles") in communities across McHenry County based on their interests, skill sets, experience and any other pertinent information. The matches are then provided with support and guidance from professional match support staff.


The matches spend anywhere from 4 to 8 hours per month together, and a 12 month commitment is required.

Carpenter's Place has a wide range of volunteer opportunities; some have interaction with homeless guests, others do not. Opportunities may include providing mentoring, transportation, and life skills training for the residents in the Permanent Supportive Housing program or providing mentoring, tutoring, life skills training, transportation, mock interviews, etc. for Transitional Housing residents.

Mentoring programs for children grades K-6.
Mentoring program includes skills mastery, character building, and fun, plus individualized attention from trained adults who serve as role models.

Matches youth ages 5-12 with caring, positive, committed, adult role models. The youth (Little) and mentor (Big) meet in the community 2-4 times per month for a minimum of 4 hours and spend time exploring activities they already enjoy and trying some new ones.

Mentoring program includes skills mastery, character building, and fun, plus individualized attention from trained adults who serve as role models.

- Prevention Education: Mentees participate in school based prevention education groups on a weekly basis. Topics covered include self-awareness, social bondage, etiquette, college and career education, and personal development.

- College/Career Preparation: Mentees receive individual mentorship to assist with developing and implementing college/career plans, college applications, completing the FASFA, scholarship forms, transportation to college/career interviews, and annual college tours.

- KFACT University: Continuing support to program participants through university.

- Labor of Love: Opportunities for mentees to give back to the community through volunteerism.

Long term residential placement for youth 10-18 years of age. Outpatient substance abuse treatment and therapy services available for youth placed in the long-term residential program.

Behavioral health services for youth 5-18 years of age depending on the program or service.

Volunteer mentoring program for 3rd through 12th grade in math or reading skills.

Family preservation services in Iowa and Nebraska.

Educational programs for professionals working with youth.

Categories

Family Preservation Programs
Residential Mental Health Treatment Facilities
Mentoring Programs
Adolescent/Youth Counseling

Provides the opportunity for the mentor (Big) to visit their Little in the child's school, after school program, or at another youth-serving agency. This allows for the mentor to meet in a more structured environment than out in the community, usually for about an hour per week.

Links homeless families with a social worker and a church-based "neighboring group" which actively participates in the family's life, has monthly activities with the family, a monthly Bridge of Hope night, and makes weekly phone calls. Commitment to the support is for up to two years.

Church-based mentoring groups are made up of volunteers from local churches and then matched to the mothers in the Bridge to Hope program.

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Categories

Mentoring Programs
Boys/Girls Clubs
Literacy Programs
Team Sports/Leagues
Tutoring Services

Serves children ages 7-21 by matching them with a caring, positive adult role model. The child and mentor meet in the community and spend time doing different activities they both enjoy and/or interact on any video conferencing platform that is not observable by BBBS. The participants commit to meeting for a minimum of 4 hours in 2-4 outings per month for a minimum of 12 months. Mentors can be a Big Brother, Big Sister, or a Big Couple. (Married couple or 2 individuals in a committed relationship for 3 or more years who currently live together.)

The following programs are part of the Community Based Mentoring program and serve a specific population of children:

- Juvenile Justice - Youth in this program have had some contact with the juvenile justice system (delinquency court appearance, parole intake or actual arrest) and can benefit from a friend and role model who helps guide them as they work towards making better choices.

- Mentoring Children of Prisoners - The children in this program have one or both parents currently incarcerated. Bigs in this program can help just by being their friend and giving stability to that youth.

- Latino Mentoring - Children in this program have Latino heritage and may have Spanish speaking parents, and may prefer a Spanish speaking mentor. These matches are supported by bilingual Big Brothers Big Sisters' staff members.

- Foster Care - Youth in foster care placements have interpersonal, developmental challenges and are vulnerable as they transition into adulthood. These youth can benefit from a friend and role model who helps guide them as they work towards making healthy choices.

- LGBTQ+ - One-to-one mentoring can help LGBTQ+ youth confront challenges and promote positive personal and educational outcomes.

Long term residential placement for youth 10-18 years of age. Outpatient substance abuse treatment and therapy services available for youth placed in the long-term residential program.

Behavioral health services for youth 5-18 years of age depending on the program or service.

Volunteer mentoring program for 3rd through 12th grade in math or reading skills.

Family preservation services in Iowa and Nebraska.

Educational programs for professionals working with youth.

Categories

Family Preservation Programs
Residential Mental Health Treatment Facilities
Mentoring Programs
Adolescent/Youth Counseling
Mentoring program includes skills mastery, character building, and fun, plus individualized attention from trained adults who serve as role models.
Strengths-based leadership mentoring program at the University of Nebraska that pairs college student leaders in one-to-one relationships with K-12 student leaders in Lincoln schools.

Categories

Mentoring Programs
Leadership Development

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Categories

Mentoring Programs
Boys/Girls Clubs
Literacy Programs
Team Sports/Leagues
Tutoring Services

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Categories

Mentoring Programs
Boys/Girls Clubs
Literacy Programs
Team Sports/Leagues
Tutoring Services
Matches youth ages 6-18 with caring, positive, committed, adult role models. The youth (Little) and mentor (Big) meet in the community 2-4 times per month for a minimum of 4 hours and spend time exploring activities they already enjoy and trying some new ones.

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Categories

Mentoring Programs
Boys/Girls Clubs
Literacy Programs
Team Sports/Leagues
Tutoring Services

Provides a structured one-on-one relationship that focuses on the needs of the youth.

Mentors help guide the youth through a wide range of tasks such as emotional well-being, social skills, self-esteem, and other areas the youth may be struggling with. The mentor helps the youth to overcome obstacles, set limits, and reach goals.