Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward Honors ‘Bigs in Blue’

In honor of National Police Week, leaders from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward made special visits to four Broward County police departments to thank officers who participate in the Bigs in Blue mentoring initiative.  Bigs in Blue, a one-to-one mentoring program which pairs youth with police officers, helps children develop into confident adults while building stronger bonds between law enforcement and the families they serve.  Officers from Coconut Creek, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood and Wilton Manors currently participate in the program.

“We’re extremely grateful to each member of law enforcement who has stepped up to mentor children as part of our Bigs in Blue initiative,” said Malena Mendez, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County. “Because of their volunteer commitment, these officers are changing the trajectory of a child’s life while building a bridge between law enforcement and the South Florida community.  Our goal is to continue to expand Bigs and Blue, and we’re always looking for more members of law enforcement to become mentors.”

Cindy Bolger, Officer Scott Hagemann and Malena Mendez

Bigs in Blue, the first national initiative aimed at recruiting local law enforcement to serve as mentors to youth in their local community, was launched by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in 2016.  It has since spread to 100 local agencies across the country.  Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County is dedicated to creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.  Its larger vision is for all youth to achieve their full potential.  For more information, email info@bbbsbroward.org, call (954) 584-9990 or visit www.bbbsbroward.org.