Not every childhood challenge requires a program.
Sometimes it starts with a conversation.
On April 28, members of Rocky Point Rotary heard from Lisa Mitnick, Director of Partnership Development, and Erika Pugliese, Recruitment Specialist, of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island.
The presentation focused on a simple idea: connecting young people with caring adult mentors who can become a steady presence in their lives.
Standing before the club, Pugliese described the organization's work recruiting volunteers willing to spend time with a child and build a meaningful relationship over time. Mitnick explained how Big Brothers Big Sisters matches mentors and young people, helping create connections that often last for years.
The concept is straightforward.
A child gains another trusted adult. A mentor gains the opportunity to invest time, attention, and encouragement in someone who may benefit from an additional positive influence.
The presentation served as an introduction to the organization for many in attendance. It also carried a practical purpose. Big Brothers Big Sisters continues to seek adults willing to become mentors and help expand the number of available matches.
That need matters because mentoring is built on consistency rather than grand gestures. A few hours spent together can become a conversation a child remembers. A regular commitment can become a relationship that helps a young person feel seen, valued, and encouraged.
Throughout the discussion, Mitnick and Pugliese emphasized the human side of the organization's mission. Successful mentoring relationships do not begin with expertise. They begin with showing up.
For Rotary members, the presentation offered a reminder that some forms of community service happen one person at a time. While many charitable efforts focus on projects, events, or fundraising, mentoring centers on a relationship.
One adult.
One child.
One connection that can continue long after a meeting, program, or event has ended.