“Positive experiences translate to a better outlook on life.”
For Bill Kovacs, a monthly donor to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada, youth mentoring is “fundamentally important for society, because those positive experiences translate to a better outlook on life.”
When Bill and his brother were growing up in Brampton, they had caring neighbours who took the time to befriend them and introduce them to new activities like fixing cars. “Those memories have never left me. Growing up with a single mom, that outside support meant a lot to me, and it helped me with my self-esteem and confidence.”
Now, as the parent of a young child, Bill is committed to paying it forward to help kids in need. He is a strong believer in the long-term community impact of mentoring, or what he calls the butterfly effect. “Helping kids is not only about kids having fun, but also seeing kids go on to accomplish amazing things, knowing that crime rates will go down, getting people to help others… to me that’s what’s important.”
He encourages people to consider the huge potential benefit that their financial support can provide, particularly as charities are relying more and more on donations. “The extra support makes a big difference.”