Big Brothers Big Sisters closing offices, scaling back operations in Panhandle

In a news release Monday, Big Brothers and Big Sisters (BBBS) of the Texas Panhandle announced that due to financial limitations, it was closing its offices in the Texas Panhandle and scaling back its operation to focus on existing matches and creating more matches in a financially stable way.

With the closing of their physical offices in Amarillo and Perryton, the agency is looking to create a more sustainable financial model to serve youth that need mentors. The two offices serviced children in Randall, Potter, Hansford and Ochiltree counties. Ochiltree had most of its mentoring program with high school seniors working with younger children, so the ending of operations in that region coincide with the end of the school year.

The organization has served the Amarillo community since 1961 and cites that it has mentored more than 18,000 children over its time in the Panhandle. While associated with the national organization, the Texas Panhandle agency is an independent organization that relies on its own fundraising.

While the agency is closing its offices and limiting its core operations, BBBS will still maintain current matches with brothers and sisters and looks to add more matches on a limited basis due to limited staffing.

“Although the agency is going through these challenges, it is very important that we remain open to serve the children in need in our community,” Leah Seymour, BBBS board president said in a news release.

According to BBBS, the creating, monitoring, and supporting of a match costs about $1,200 per person for the first year of the matching process. With no fees charged to participants of the program, BBBS relies solely on grants, fundraisers, and community donations to fund its operations. The organization has operated out of its reserves over the past two years, and it is currently at critical funding levels, needing an influx of funding to continue its mission of mentorship for children of the Texas Panhandle.

Christopher Flores, the new BBBS executive director and the only current paid staff member, spoke about the decision to scale back operations and the future of the organization.

“I have been trying to rebuild our funding through every means possible, but right now it’s hard to get people interested in volunteering and to fundraise,” Flores said. “We had had over 100 matches just over two years ago, and active matches are way down, and that affects funding from grants that are tied to program participation.”

There are currently 18 children waiting to be matched and about 52 enrolled and awaiting for a Big Brother or Sister volunteer for mentorship.

Over the past two years, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fundraising efforts and mentorship opportunities were severely hampered, which has led to the need to temporarily scale back operations. The decline in funding has continued into 2022, which has prompted the needed reduction of staff and expenses for BBBS. Currently, the organization is servicing 21 matches, drastically down from its pre-pandemic numbers of about 100 youths being mentored in the program. There is less eligibility for some funding grants with decreased numbers of matches being served.

“When it comes to granting funding, we are looked at as having way too low of numbers to receive some of this funding. I understand that, but we are serving children that need mentoring in the community and would serve more if we had the volunteers,” Flores said.

Flores said that he feels responsible to the youth the group serves to help change their lives for the better through membership. He said it's not so much a matter of lack of need, but a lack of available mentors.

“My hope is that with the public knowing our dire circumstances, more will step up and come to the realization that this organization and what it does is important to the community,” Flores said. “We are in great need, and we are going to do what we can to get into a better situation to help kids. We hope this gives the community a chance to say what can we do to get this organization back on its feet.”

Flores said that its important that BBBS stays open and continues to serve children needing mentoring, but the organization must find its way to a more sustainable path to fulfill its mission. He said that most people do not realize the intensive process to make sure that mentors for the program are of good character and background and the costs associated with making these matches happen.

Matching will still be going on with the cutback in personnel and operations, but it will be a more time-intensive process, with the priority being currently matched children.

“I would like the community to know that we need your support with funding and volunteering as a mentor, " Flores added. “We cannot fulfill our mission without the support of the community. If we do not have volunteers, no amount of money will help us serve our mission, and we are in real need of both.”

“We are closing our physical offices, but we are still here. I will be working from home or wherever it takes," Flores said.

Flores stated that he and members of the board are working on a long-term plan to help the community, and if entities want to help, please reach out to him or the organization.

For any individuals, businesses, and/or foundations interested in supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Texas Panhandle during this time, please visit their website panhandlebigs.org, or reach out to Flores at (806) 341-2776.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Big Brothers Big Sisters closing offices, scaling back in Panhandle