ST. GEORGE — While the holiday season brings visions of pumpkin spice, Christmas decorations and festive music for some, for others the holidays may increase feelings of loneliness and anxiety.
One uplifting way to combat those feelings is through volunteering, said Stephanie Lundgreen, Southern Utah manager for Big Brothers Big Sisters Utah.
In Southern Utah, many nonprofit organizations are noticing a rise in monetary and supply donations. But there is one, the Southern Utah chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters Utah, that has seen a decline in the volunteers that mentor at-risk youth in the community.
Volunteers, or “bigs,” donate by spending time with a child or teenager who has gone through a traumatic experience.
“Some of these children themselves feel lonely and isolated during the holiday season,” Lundgreen said. “They can also feel misunderstood, whether at home or at school, and having a ‘big’ gives them a friend they can talk to and spend quality time with.”
Not only are they short on volunteers, Lundgreen also noted an increase of applications for children looking for a big brother or sister since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. While recounting an interview with one child recently, she said kids today are experiencing anxiety and fear on a new level from what she has noticed previously.
“I was speaking to a little girl the other day who told me she was afraid of losing everything,” she said. “When I asked her to explain, she said her family was not wealthy and she was afraid of losing everything that they had. She was only 5 or 6 years old.”
Mentoring a child improves their communication skills, helps the child communicate with other adults, builds their self-esteem, and helps defend against bullying, among the many other benefits. They also do better in school, at home, and learn coping strategies they will use for the rest of their life, Lundgreen said.
Strapped for time?
For those busy bees who just don’t have time but still want to make a difference in the life of someone else, there are still many opportunities for giving. Big Brothers Big Sisters is also in need of unwrapped toys for children ages 6-16. Click here for more information on how to sponsor a child or for donation opportunities.
The Dove Center, a nonprofit providing shelter and counseling to survivors of domestic violence, is encouraging businesses who want to help with supply donations to hang “hope” ornaments on their office trees with items their employees can collect and donate, said Natalie Cripps, community resource coordinator.
“For those who can’t donate their time, we have a wish list of items the shelter needs on our website dovecenter.org,” Cripps said.
“By hanging hope ornaments with wishes on them, their clients and employees can also share in the holiday spirit of giving. We call them hope ornaments because hope is a motivator.
“Hope saves lives,” Cripps continued. “Donations of items from the wish list go towards helping survivors of domestic violence throughout the year – men and women.”
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