I would like to express my gratitude to the Island community for its support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod and the Islands. At our Blooming Bids for Kids event held on Friday, June 28, $60,000 was raised for this important mentoring program benefiting Island youth. It warms my heart to know the commitment our neighbors show year after year.

The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to partner with under-resourced families to provide their children with transformational, one-to-one professionally supported relationships with caring adult mentors, so that their children will thrive. Research shows that over their lifetimes, Littles have a 17 per cent higher annual income, are 22 per cent more likely to attend college and are 33 per cent less likely to come into contact with the justice system than their peers.

As recipients of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Nationwide Leadership Council Quality Award in 2016 and 2017, other offices now call us to see how to make the magic happen best. Remember that when you support Big Brothers Big Sisters you are supporting children and their families when they need you the most.

Connie Alexander

Vineyard Haven