In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Avery and her family were living in Michigan and going through a traumatic family experience. The best thing for Avery, her siblings, and her mother, Athena, was to move over 2,000 miles to southwest Washington. Unfortunately, that meant Avery had to start over at a new school in a new, unfamiliar city. Avery needed community, connection, and support, so Athena reached out to Big Brothers Big Sisters Columbia Northwest.
Last December, Avery was matched with her Big Sister, Bailey. Together, Avery and Bailey love spending time outdoors, no matter the season. You can often find them exploring parks or learning new sports. Avery’s favorite activity was when she and Bailey went ice skating, something she’s looking forward to doing again this winter.
Over the past year, Bailey has made a noticeable and profound impact by supporting Avery’s emotional health and educational development. Athena shared that she is grateful for Bailey’s consistency with not only Avery, but the whole family, saying she has been a positive influence in all their lives.
There are hundreds of kids just like Avery waiting for a mentor to listen, care, and be a friend. This holiday season, please consider a donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters’s Give!Guide campaign to help create more mentorship matches so more kids in your community can thrive.
