Since they were first matched in 2019, these two have had so much fun doing new things together. Some of their favorite activities have included building a fairy garden, perusing local garage sales, going to the fair, doing arts and crafts, and visiting Unicorn Feed and Supply in downtown Ypsilanti. No matter what they’re doing, though, they always have a great time together! 

Meet our October Match of the Month, Danasia and Jenna! This month is also their Match-A-Versary, with them celebrating one whole wonderful year as BBBS team! Over the last twelve months, Danasia and Jenna have connected over their shared love of staying active playing tennis and visiting trampoline parks, doing arts and crafts together, attending BBBS events such as Art Night and the Big Little Fair, and just hanging out together talking. Jenna says that Danasia is positive and fun and helps keep her in that mood also and Danasia says she has had lots of fun this last year. Congratulations on being our Match of the Month and we can’t wait to see what you two accomplish together in the future! 

Igniting potential in a Little includes expanding their horizons and teaching them new skills. One of Jenna’s favorite activities is playing tennis and when she introduced Danasia to the game, she really took to it and showed great natural ability. Jenna was so excited to teach Danasia a new activity and Danasia has been having a great time exploring the game. Jenna has also loved not just having the opportunity to encourage Danasia’s natural curiosity and passion for learning, but also being inspired by her to expand her own curiosity. Together, they are having a great time igniting the potential in each other, making them an excellent match! 

The best matches empower each other to explore and to grow as people, and that’s definitely been the case with these two! Jenna is a naturally talkative and outgoing person and when they first met, Danasia was quite shy and reserved. Initially, Jenna wasn’t sure how to bridge that communication gap, but by letting Danasia take the lead, she quickly learned how to be more patient. This helped Danasia feel more comfortable with Jenna, and now she is super chatty and loves just hanging out with her Big, talking about anything and everything! 

As much fun as Danasia and Jenna have had together playing, shopping, and chatting, great matches also work towards defending the full potential of the Little. As the new school year gets into gear, Danasia has expressed to Jenna that while she’s excited to see all of her friends again, she’s not so excited about the actual school work. Jenna quickly stepped up and volunteered to help Danasia with her homework any time she needed and having another trusted adult there to help her achieve her educational goals goes a long way in defending Danasia’s potential. Congratulations again to this fantastic match. We are so proud of you and wish you more fun and more growth in your second year together! 

Meet Jordan and Brandy! This school-based Lunch Buddies match was first brought together at the beginning of 2022 and hit it off immediately. Both have big, outgoing personalities, and share a love of sports, games, going outside and staying active. Having a Big excited to share these loves with him has really made a positive impact on this Little. According to Jordan’s mom, there has already been a great difference in him since being matched with Brandy and he now comes home after school in an improved mood and less angst. Jordan himself says he gives his Big a 10 out of 10, and that’s what makes them our Match of the Month! 
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​Jordan and Brandy bonded quickly over their mutual love and dedication to staying physically active and fit. Over the last six months, they have spent their weekly, 45 minute lunch sessions going outside and playing hands-on games such as tag and duck duck goose, climbing the rock wall at Jordan's school, and just running around being silly. They also attended two outdoor Big Brothers Big Sisters events this summer, enjoying time at a local water park and playing outdoor games with other matches. Sharing these active moments together helps them build trust and communication, and helps them create some amazing memories! 

One of the ways Bigs empower their Littles is by making them feel safe and comfortable in sharing their thoughts and feelings. The first several times that they met, Brandy asked Jordan lots of questions, trying to get to know him better. He was always happy to answer, but rarely offered up information about himself and how school was going without being asked. As the match has progressed, Brandy has seen a definite change in how Jordan communicates with her. He is far more open with her now, offering up anecdotes about his inner and outer life without being asked. He also lights up and gives her a great big hug every time he sees her, showing just how much she empowers him to express himself openly. 

Brandy loves how Jordan is always himself, no matter what, and is right there ready to encourage and support him in any way she can. When she learned that Jordan was having difficulties with another student in his school, she talked him through it, encouraging him to open up to her about what was going on. Brandy also reached out to other adults in Jordan’s life to find out how best she could help him and her efforts went a long way in helping him work through a potentially tough situation. Knowing that their Big is always on their team and ready to help them work through the challenges of growing up helps the Little increase their confidence and achieve their full potential. Congrats to you both for being such a great team and for being our Match of the Month!

This month we are excited to have two very special Matches of the Month: meet brother and sister Lance and Layla and their Bigs Josh and Faaiza! These siblings were matched with their new mentors on the same day last December and have been going strong ever since. Lance and Josh quickly bonded over their shared love of Marvel movies and comic books and love to spend time playing video games, perusing the comics at the Vault of Midnight, and talking about what comic book plots they think will be made into movies next. Layla and Faaiza found their connection immediately through their shared love of exploring area restaurants and have already had several wonderful trips out spent laughing and having deep talks over great meals. 

Layla and Faaiza agreed early on in their match that one of the things they wanted to do most was discover more of the community together. They have spent the last several months exploring Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, including museums, parks, restaurants, and have even participated in BBBS events such as Art Night, opening Layla up to all sorts of new experiences. Meanwhile, Lance has bonded with Josh by truly listening to him and supporting his interests, while gently encouraging him to move beyond his comfort zone. Lance is interested in music, but struggles with shyness, so Josh has been finding ways that they can explore music together through festivals, concerts, and drop in lessons. Josh has also encouraged Lance to ask questions of store staff and other people they encounter as a way to engage him in low stakes conversations that build his confidence. Both of these matches have done a great job building trust and exploring new things, which builds a young person up to dream big.

In both of these matches, the Bigs empower the Littles by truly listening to them and giving them opportunities to lead, make decisions, and explore their passions in new and exciting ways. Josh empowers Lance to feel confident in his own curiosities and interests by happily exploring the comics, movies, and shows Lance loves most with him. The pair love to have long weekly conversations about the Marvel Universe and Star Wars franchise, go shopping at their favorite comic book shops, and even spend time just sitting quietly together, reading comics. Faaiza also empowers Layla by giving her a supportive listening ear. They both remember the first deep discussion they had with each other and how candid and open Layla was. Faaiza considers this a very special moment because she was able to see another side of Layla and remind her how strong, smart, and capable she is. Layla shared that this moment was really special to her also because it showed her how supportive and encouraging Faaiza is. “We’re really close,” Layla said. “It’s supportive and amazing!” 

When Faaiza and Josh consistently give Layla and Lance the freedom to express their interests and have a say in what choose to do, they are teaching them that their interests matter, and their voice has power. For Layla and Faaiza, this means planning special outings like their favorite day, when they explored in Depot Town together. They grabbed pizza, wandered around the interesting shops, walked through Riverside park, and then sat down for some coffee and chatting. This simple day is special to them because it gave them an opportunity to learn more about each other and enjoy each other’s company in a truly relaxed way. For Lance and Josh, this has meant lots of moments of levity and laughter, like when they choose to see a poorly reviewed movie in theaters. They did not like the movie at all, but when it was over, they looked at each other and broke out laughing, simply because the experience of seeing such a bad movie together was so much fun-and gave them lots to talk about afterwards! 




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