Hofstra Alums Rallying To Support Long Island's "Littles"

“You can gain a friend for life,” said Mark Cox, the chief executive officer of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island, “and the experience also allows an adult to learn a bit more about himself or herself in the process.”

For the last year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, teaming Long Island’s Bigs (adults) with its Littles (youth) has been difficult for BBBSLI. The virus also has affected BBBSLI's ability to secure donations, recruit volunteers and provide basic programs.

A couple of Hofstra University alums have reached out to nonprofits such as BBBSLI to support program continuity and, when that is not possible due to virus protocols, to provide funding to protect minimal services and initiatives.

James C. Metzger, founder, chairman and CEO of The Whitmore Agency, a leading Long Island insurance brokerage and financial services firm headquartered in Garden City, shared a total of six figures in financial support during the pandemic among five Long Island organizations. These donations, including a contribution to BBBSLI, honor his friend, Colonel E. David Woycik, Jr., (Ret.) United States Army and a senior trial partner concentrating on personal injury, construction, highway design and toxic torts at The Sanders Law Firm in Mineola.

Metzger, Woycik and Cox are connected through Hofstra University alumni organizations. Metzger supports many youth education and athletic programs, along with other community programs, throughout the New York metropolitan area. Woycik has been involved with BBBSLI for more than 30 years, helping grow the organization’s commitment to the Long Island community. Among BBBSLI's future plans is to create a leadership initiative that invites speakers to provide the boys and girls of Long Island with encouragement that will boost their confidence for success in the classroom and in their communities.

BBBSLI's future plans is to create a leadership initiative that invites speakers to provide the boys and girls of Long Island with encouragement that will boost their confidence for success in the classroom and in their communities.

Woycik is past-president of BBBSLI and he created an endowment program that has raised substantial funds for children in need. BBBSLI’s Suffolk County location is 145 Sycamore Avenue in Islandia. The BBBSLI Nassau headquarters named in Woycik’s honor is located at 25 Carle Road in Westbury.

Recovering From The Pandemic

“We need to get back to where we were at the beginning of last year to help the youth of Long Island,” said Cox. “We focus on youth from ages seven to 16. The lockdowns have eliminated our one-on-one meetings at schools, impacting our programs between mentors and our children at a critical stage in their lives.”

Incorporated during 1977, BBBSLI has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and shine. The organization’s mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth by fostering meaningful, professionally supported matches between adult volunteers and children.

All BBBSLI volunteer mentors are extensively interviewed, screened and trained. The organization provides every match with a professional program team member to monitor the relationship and offer guidance. The Big, Little and his or her parent/guardian establish a one-year commitment to the match relationship. Mentors and mentees agree to meet a minimum of twice each month for two to four hours to enjoy low to no-cost activities.

BBBSLI programs also include sibling support and couple mentoring.

Sibling Support is part of a community-based mentoring program that focuses on matching the siblings of special needs children with volunteer mentors. Mentors can offer additional support and individualized attention for a sibling, meeting regularly to share activities, experiences and friendship.

Big Couples is when a mentor and spouse, or long-term partner, become Bigs to a Little. The couple provides the same interaction as individuals and also allows each adult to share separate time with a young boy or girl. Children benefit from having a Big Brother and a Big Sister.

Among the benefits of becoming a mentor, according to Cox, is the opportunity to positively change a life by ensuring that a child receives the brightest future possible.