Indianapolis Indians, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indiana Sports Corp, & Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana Partner to Recruit 300 Men in 3 Months
(Indianapolis, IN) – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana (BBBSCI), in partnership with the Indianapolis Indians, Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), and Indiana Sports Corp, officially announced today a community campaign to “Rally for MENtors” with a goal of recruiting 300 men to volunteer as mentors over the next three months.
BBBSCI will launch its “Rally for MENtors: 300 Men in 3 Months” campaign on April 1, 2024, which shares the urgency and demand for more mentors, especially men, needed in our community. With more than 1,000 kids, including 800 boys, in Central Indiana waiting for mentors, BBBSCI, Indianapolis Indians, IMS, and Indiana Sports Corp are working together to recruit 300 men to become Bigs between April 1, 2024, through June 30, 2024. Each month will feature one of our partners – asking community members to “Step Up to the Plate” with the Indianapolis Indians in April, “Fuel Up Futures” with the IMS in May, and “Stretch for the Finish” with Indiana Sports Corp during the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Swimming in June.
“The Indianapolis Indians has been honored to work alongside BBBSCI for well over a decade to encourage and recruit more men to become mentors for kids in our community,” stated Joel Zawacki, Assistant General Manager of the Indianapolis Indians. “To know that 800 boys are waiting for a mentor of their own reinforces our drive to do our part in Central Indiana.”
“IMS is excited to partner, once again, with BBBSCI to find more mentors to pair with the hundreds of kids, especially boys, waiting for a Big,” said Penske Entertainment Senior Vice President, Allison Melangton. “Through our continued partnership, we hope see that waiting list get down to zero soon.”
“For 45 years, Indiana Sports Corp embraced the challenge of bringing and hosting the best sporting events to Indianapolis each year, and now, we’re gearing up to embark on yet another challenge to our entire community – helping to make sure that every kid who wants a mentor gets one,” said Indiana Sports Corp President Patrick Talty. “Through this campaign and many future events, we are looking forward to partnering with BBBSCI to elevate the need and encourage more people to get involved with their community.”
“Being a mentor is all about spending just a little bit of time to be there for a young person and to connect them to experiences that help them explore and grow. The truth is mentoring happens in everyday moments, but it can also include some special memories like watching a baseball game together at Victory Field, joining in the tradition and thrill of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing, or cheering for athletes competing to make the 2024 Olympic team,” says Darcey Palmer-Shultz, CEO of BBBSCI. “We don’t take it lightly that when we called for help, the Indians, IMS, and Indiana Sports Corp immediately stepped up to answer that call. We have too many kids in our community waiting for support, especially too many boys, and as always, we are grateful to have partners who rally together to make a difference.”
Being a mentor, or “Big,” through BBBSCI requires a one-year commitment to be matched with a mentee, or “Little.” Bigs and Littles meet 4-6 hours per month, and together, they enjoy activities provided by BBBSCI and their partners or find activities within their community. To learn more about becoming a Big, visit www.bebigforkids.org/volunteer.
To learn more about BBBSCI and the Rally for MENtors: 300 Men in 3 Months campaign, visit https://www.bebigforkids.org/rally-for-mentors-300-men-in-3-months/.
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About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana is based in Indianapolis and serves youth and families who reside in Marion, Hamilton, and Johnson counties through one-to-one mentoring relationships with adult volunteers. The Big Brothers Big Sisters vision is that all youth achieve their full potential. To fulfill that vision, the mission of BBBSCI is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. This year, BBBSCI will defend the potential of local youth through 1,100+ mentoring relationships. To volunteer, donate, or for more information, visit www.BeBigForKids.org or call (317) 921-2201.
