Big Brothers Big Sisters pitches 'It takes little to be big' and Lunch Buddies pilot to Eureka council

EUREKA — Florence Parks, representing Big Brothers Big Sisters, told the Eureka City Council that the organization has new branding this year and is launching an “It takes little to be big” campaign to expand mentoring options.

Parks said the agency matches roughly 75 youth each year and that it costs about $2,500 to support a match annually, a figure she noted is low compared with statewide averages. She described Lunch Buddies, a program piloted this fall at Lafayette in Eureka, as a short, reliable commitment: "it's only 30 minutes a week at lunch," Parks said, and estimated the Lunch Buddies approach will cost about $600 per youth.

Parks emphasized the program’s screening and match process — "it takes about six hours to enroll a little and 12 for a big" — and said that nearly half of matches come from single‑parent families, with a small but growing share of youth in foster care. She encouraged council members and residents to volunteer, serve on the board, sponsor the March Bowl for Kids' Sake fundraiser, or recruit mentors.

Mayor and council members thanked Parks for the presentation and for a proclamation recognizing National Mentoring Month; Parks said materials and sign‑up sheets were available for residents interested in joining Team Eureka.