Over the holidays we had so many special moments within our community in support of mentorship. One big highlight was a holiday surprise from a mother whose four boys were matched in our program back in 2005!
Raising four young boys, as a single mother, was no easy feat for Abieyuwa Odighizuwa. Knowing that her boys needed positive male role models in their lives, Abie reached out to BBBS CNW to sign them up for a mentor to help guide them through middle school and high school.
Now, as adults, Owamagbe, Ighodaro, Ihoghama, and Osawaru have become champions in their communities, with their families, and in their chosen professions. Two of her sons have even made it to the NFL! Owamagbe played for the New York Giants, and Osawaru currently plays for the Dallas Cowboys!
Abieyuwa has always had a passion for service and recently founded the Odighizuwa Foundation to give back to her community, and other single mothers like her. Having walked in their shoes, Abie was thrilled for the opportunity to gift seven single mothers from the BIPOC community with a special holiday surprise, a gift card to Kroger, and holiday gifts for their families. The highlight of the reception was the opportunity for Abie and the community of single mothers, to share stories, messages of hope, and advice with one another.
“It was amazing to connect with the other moms, they were so excited to meet someone who has walked in their shoes,” shared Abie.
Abie greeted each attendee personally, awarding them with a $100 Kroger gift card for them to enjoy a holiday meal with their children. Big Brothers Big Sisters sent each attendee home with a gingerbread hour kit to make with their kids, a visa gift card, and a poinsettia.
The biggest gift of all was the opportunity to be in community with one another. Abie shared her experiences of having four boys in the program. She also gave wonderful advice to the other moms about how to set healthy boundaries, practice honesty, and how to clearly communicate as a family.
Carolina Adrianzen, Chief Programs Officer, reflected on the event sharing, “Having a parent coming back to give back was really a full circle moment for our agency. Seeing how these match relationships can develop over time really hit home with the moms and they were so inspired by how long Abie’s boys were matched with their Bigs!”
One of the moms who attended said, “I was so inspired to hear from Abie, whose boys have had such success in life. It really showed us the potential and impact of match relationships over time.”
It was encouraging for the moms to see another single mom starting a foundation to help others in the community. For Abie, it was a beautiful moment for her to mentor other single mothers, paying it forward.
At the end of the event, Abie walked around, shook everyone’s hand, greeted each mom with a warm hug, and offered kind words of encouragement. “Never give up hope! You’ve all got this.”
We look forward to hosting more events for parents to build community within BBBS in 2023.
