Revitalized
and Focused
New executive director of
Big Brothers Big Sisters energizes staff; 'Big'
establishes food drives to get 'Littles' involved
in service
Saturday
July 15,2006
By Donna McAdle
Special to The Times
TRENTON
-- Scott McIntosh and his 13-year old buddy Angel
just went to see "Superman Returns." For
McIntosh, of Hamilton Township, the movie expedition
was nothing out of the ordinary. But for Angel,
it was a night out he might not have had otherwise
if it weren't for McIntosh.
McIntosh
has been Angel's official "Big Brother"
for five years. Since being matched with McIntosh
by Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County when
he was 8, Angel has been tagging along with McIntosh
just about every week since then. It is a relationship
McIntosh values.
"When
I first met Angel he was very shy," said McIntosh,
who is employed as a construction worker. "He
barely even talked. Now, I can't get him to keep
quiet," he said with a chuckle.
The
national Big Brothers Big Sisters organization was
formed in 1904 to reach out and pair caring adults
with children needing a mentor and friend. Its legacy
is known throughout the area and many studies have
supported that children in high-risk groups will
do better in school and are more likely to stay
out of trouble with a positive adult role model.
McIntosh
agrees with that.
"When
I first started mentoring Angel, he had to stay
back in school. Now he is involved with after-school
stuff."
McIntosh
said he joined Big Brothers Big Sisters because
he remembered his father talking about the program
when he was growing up and how he wanted to participate,
but didn't have the time.
"I
think that was always in the back of my mind,"
McIntosh said. "I think the most important
thing is to give back and have a positive influence
on a child."
McIntosh,
40, is single. He knew when he joined Big Brothers
that this would be an opportunity for him to experience
parenting. "Since I don't have kids, I have
the time."
Not
only does McIntosh take Angel out to the movies,
for pizza ("he could eat pizza seven days a
week," he joked), to fireworks displays, swimming,
bowling and bike riding, he also takes along Angel's
9-year old brother Manny.
"Manny
had a Big Brother, but he didn't stick it out, so
I take him along with us."
McIntosh
recently spearheaded a new program for Big Brother
Big Sisters that combined community service with
a social opportunity for "Bigs" and "Littles"
to develop friendships. He organized four food drives
in May and June, with the proceeds going to the
Trenton Area Soup Kitchen.
The
food collections -- at ShopRite in Bordentown, Acme
in Yardville, Acme in Lawrence and the ShopRite
in Hamilton Market Place -- were hugely successful.
"I
filled up my pickup four times and raised $1,300
in donations for the soup kitchen.
"I
had been taking a Self-Expression and Leadership
Program and a mandatory part of it was a community
service project. I had a vision to match that with
the Bigs and Littles together."
McIntosh
said that although he sees Angel quite frequently,
there aren't that many group opportunities during
the year, except for holiday parties. The food drive
helped reach a number of goals.
"It
brought us together and let us do something for
the community, while allowing the Littles to develop
friendships."
McIntosh
added that the community service component was very
enriching.
"Many
of these children are very underprivileged and on
welfare. But even in this situation, they can do
something to help someone else. As I said, Angel
is very shy, but as soon as he saw the money building
up he really started soliciting contributions at
the food stores."
The
food drive is just one outward sign of an organization
that is going through many changes. Susan Dunning
was brought on board last November as the new executive
director, bringing wide organizational corporate
experience with her. Under her tutelage, the program
is strengthening and focusing its goals. And according
to Development Director Arleen Erikson, Dunning's
energy has revitalized the group.
"She
has chosen very energetic people to work here, and
has started from the bottom up, even getting furniture
donated to refresh our interior and update our infrastructure,"
Erikson said.
For
Dunning, the infrastructure improvement is just
part of an overhaul effort.
"We
can't grow overnight," Dunning said. "In
our future plans, one of our primary goals is to
bring in more funding so we can grow to reach more
children in Mercer County. This has been a real
turnaround effort and I'm really enjoying it.
"I
hit the ground running in December and have been
working to repair our infrastructure, automate our
operations, and working on our funding sources.
That is something you have to work at and build
relationships. We are starting to run this like
a business."
Reaching
more volunteers to mentor children is always a goal.
To reach untapped volunteers, a new program has
been started to match high school and college students
with junior high and elementary school pupils.
"We
are working with West Windsor, Plainsboro, Hamilton,
Hightstown and Ewing to get high school students
to volunteer their time as mentors with kids in
elementary schools," said Kim Cody, director
of programs and administration.
For
her part, Erikson is on Dunning's team looking for
increased funding.
"It
costs us about $1,000 to match a child and adult,
for the criminal background check, the social worker,
and to follow them for a year," she said. "Right
now we have a car raffle running that we would love
for people to sponsor."
The
winner picked from the $100 raffle tickets sold
will get to pick their own BMW or Mercedes.
"We
could really use the support."
And
McIntosh? He'll continue to do his weekly rounds
with Angel.
"This
is very satisfying for me to give back," he
said. "I especially think it's very critical
in our area with gangs becoming more prevalent.
This is one way to steer kids away from them.
"I
keep encouraging those I know to reach out and volunteer
also."
With
a waiting list of children looking for Big Brothers
and Big Sisters, volunteers can help make the difference.
For
more information, call (609) 656-1000 or visit the
Web site (www.bbbsmercer.org)
"We ourselves feel that what we are doing is
just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be
less because of that missing drop."
Mother Teresa
