 From the moment they met, Melanie and Antoynette knew they had found a special connection. Their shared laughter and adventurous spirit have created a bond that transcends miles.
Melanie, a mom of two boys, relishes the opportunity to experience the world through a teenage girl’s eyes. She’s particularly enjoyed diving into Antoynette’s world as she explores potential career paths. Antoynette has embraced learning British English and dreams of visiting Melanie in England this summer. Their initial plan for a one-year match has blossomed into something extraordinary, with the possibility of international travel on the horizon. To make the most of their time together, they created a bucket list filled with fun, active, educational, and volunteer activities. Checking off each item has become a source of excitement and anticipation. From a thrilling cycle taxi ride through downtown Ann Arbor to conquering the waves at the water park, their adventures are as diverse as their personalities. Sharing a meal together recently, they discovered a shared love of food and culture. Their ability to laugh together and engage in meaningful conversations about their communities is a testament to their strong connection. Melanie and Antoynette have discovered a remarkable friendship built on shared humor, curiosity, and a desire to make the world a better place. As they say, they’re on the same wavelength! Want to create a similar connection? Become a Big and make a lasting difference in a young person’s life.  Meet Dereon and Kyle, our July Match of the Month! First connected in November of 2022, this match loves being active and playing games together, especially board games. They also have a secret handshake they do every time they see each other and quickly bonded over a shared love of Pokemon, with Kyle bringing in some of his old Pokemon’s for his Little, much to Dereon’s delight. This pair is so happily matched that Dereon is often seen racing down the hall in excitement when it’s his Lunch Buddies day with Kyle. This joyful connectivity they share is why they are this month’s Match of the Month!
 Meet our June Match of the Month, A’Nyla and Nika! This dynamic Disney loving duo are a part of our School Based Program and have been matched since December of last year.These two love all things Disney, especially the Princesses, and on the very first day they met, Nika brought A’Nyla a Princess Tiana wallet and the two have been the best of friends ever since. Nika is originally from California, which absolutely thrilled A’Nyla, and the two of them already have big dreams to visit both Disneyland and Disney World as well as all of the Disney parks around the world. We are so excited to see what comes next for this match-congratulations to you both!
 Meet our May match of the Month, Grace and Laurel! These two were first paired together in the Fall of 2020 and have spent the last two and a half years together exploring the area by trying new restaurants and coffee shops. Other favorite shared activities include going swimming and checking out all of the local museums. They did also experience some scheduling challenges early on in their match but were able to work through them and settle on a routine that works well for them both. This dedication to each other, communicating, and problem solving is just one of the many reasons why they are our May Match of the Month!
 Meet our March Match of the Month, Aiden and Ryan! While these two have not been matched for long, they have already become fast friends!From their very first outing at a U of M football game, they felt a camaraderie with each other that has continued to grow ever since. Ryan’s goal for the match is for Aiden to feel like he has an additional member in his support system and based on Aiden’s description of Ryan being “the best!” and a 5 on a scale of 1-5, it’s safe to say this goal has already been met! Congrats Aiden and Ryan!
 Our March Match of the Month is double the fun! Meet twins JJ and Kaden and their Bigs Dave and Brendan.Not only are these Littles brothers, they were also matched with their Bigs one year ago this month-and what great matches they are! The boys’ mom says that, while they are twins, they are very different, yet each was matched with a Big that suits them perfectly! JJ and Dave are both energetic extroverts and love the outdoors and going to the trampoline park, while Kaden and Brendan are more laid back, quieter people and all about games and visiting the botanical gardens. Congrats to both matches!
Meet Marguerite and Andaiye, our December Match of the Month!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!
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! Meet Amaree and Michelle! First connected in 2019, this match has weathered the challenges of the pandemic years with laughter, joy, and great communication. Although Amaree recently graduated from high school, both Big and Little agree that their bond is strong and that their relationship will continue throughout her college years and beyond. This genuine connection and commitment to each other no matter what life throws at them is why they are our August Match of the Month! Congratulations to you both! We wish you nothing but the best in all of your future endeavors!
Despite spending almost a year of their match struggling to find ways to connect within the limits of Covid restrictions, Amaree and Michelle have still been able to make some wonderful memories together. They both have loved trying new cuisines together, sampling foods from around the world, including Cuban, Indian, Thai, and Nigerian, which ended up being a favorite. They’ve also loved riding the Q in Detroit and exploring the shops along Woodward avenue together and even took a few Salsa dancing lessons, both through a BBBS event and at a dance studio in Ann Arbor. In the best matches, the Big teaches the Little new things and empowers them to expand their horizons and the Little does the same for the Big. That has definitely been the case with Amaree and Michelle! After Michelle introduced Amaree to kayaking, Amaree returned the favor by teaching Michelle how to play chess and playing together online became one of their favorite ways to connect when they couldn’t see each other face to face. This also helped both of them overcome their natural introverted tendencies and reach out to each other. As Michelle put it, “As an individual, I had to overcome taking the lead on communication in a way that I really hadn't before. But I also think it made the moments of easy connection and deep connection sweeter in a way.” Since the beginning, Michelle has been impressed with Amaree’s intelligence, bravery, sense of adventure, and potential, and has been there to nurture and defend these traits for the last three and a half years. Throughout their match, Michelle has been one of Amaree’s biggest supporters. Now, with Amaree in the process of getting ready to attend EMU and study social work, she knows that she is taking a strengthened sense of personal empowerment and esteem with her and will always have her friend Michelle there to encourage her. |
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BBBS SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN
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Contact UsPHONEDetroit - 313-309-0500
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