“I’ve learned how important I can be to a child and it’s kind of shocking!  But it feels so good and believe me, it’s wonderful for my self esteem too.  This gives me time for something that means a lot to me, something that provides balance in my life.”
Joe, Big Brother

“Ashley has a lot of energy and it takes a lot of energy to keep up with her and sometimes that’s hard when I’m juggling three jobs.  Since her Big Sister Nancy came along, she’s calmer and she’s allowed me to get closer to her.  Our relationship’s gotten much stronger.”
Michelle, Parent

“When I received you as a Big Sister, I realized how lucky I was but I never told you.  You helped me through the worst days of my life and shared the good days with me.  You are my best friend and that will never leave my heart.”
Little Sister, Angela in what she describes as a  “long overdue thank you”, 11 years after being matched  with her Big Sister, Annette

“Big Sisters gave me the learning experience of a lifetime.  They invited me to a national conference in Ottawa concerning youth at risk.  This gave me the opportunity to learn something about myself that I didn’t really know.  It brought up my self-confidence and self-esteem and desire to succeed.  I was impressed by some of the programs other people were talking about.  I think programs should enhance young people’s self-esteem, giving them responsibility and trusting them to make their own judgments.  It’s like Big Sisters programs - it’s better to prevent problems than to fix them later.”
Jessica, former Little Sister, delegate to Youth Partnership, Youth at Risk (1999)

“Dear Big Brothers,
I really love my Big Brother.  He is just what I always wanted in a friend that I could call my own.  He means the world to me.  I want to “Thank You” for giving me such a wonderful Big Brother.”
Little Brother, Todd