A funding announcement for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Windsor-Essex.
The Ministry of Education has announced a $1.4-million investment to be shared across all Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies in the province - including in Windsor-Essex.
The local branch will receive approximately $75,000 as part of the investment, which will be used to support mentoring in schools across the region.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Windsor-Essex will deliver school-focused mentoring programs to more than 500 young people this 2026-27 school year.
This mentorship program will reach more than 10,000 young people in elementary and secondary schools across Ontario.
Becky Parent, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters Windsor-Essex, says this money will be used immediately to support their mentor program.
“That’s in both boards, the Greater Essex County District School Board as well as the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board. We’re in about 50 schools throughout those two boards, and we provide one-on-one in-school mentoring once a week for one hour a week per child, as well as our school groups, which are called Go Squad! and Game On!”
She says it’s a tremendous honour to receive this funding.
“To know that the Ministry of Education, which obviously has some pretty strict guidelines and protocols, have tremendous confidence in Big Brothers Big Sisters and our ability to deliver these programs across Ontario.”
Parent says they have received this funding in previous years.
“With government cutbacks being what they are, there’s always such competing priorities governments have, even just between ministries as well, the Ministry of Education versus the Ministry of Health. We know they only have so much of a budget, and so every year we’re not guaranteed funding, so this is tremendously exciting for us.”
For nearly 60 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Windsor-Essex has been helping young people build meaningful relationships with caring adult mentors.
The organization is recruiting volunteer mentors for this school year, and those who are interested can find more information by clicking here.