Big Brothers Big Sisters in Pahrump seeks more volunteer mentors

Big Brothers Big Sisters in Pahrump was still looking for more volunteer mentors as it worked to pair screened adults with local children ages 6 to 15 based on shared interests. Leaders said the matches matter because many of the youngsters come from single-parent and lower- to middle-income households, where a steady adult presence can add support at school and in everyday life.

The local office is at 1020 E Wilson Rd. in Pahrump, and Maya Khandpur can be reached at 775-298-5333 or by email at mkhandpur@BBBSN.ORG. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada said it has been operating since 1973, and its mentoring model includes both site-based and community-based programs.

In the site-based program, mentors spend one hour a week with a child at school. The organization says site-based mentors must be at least 18, while community-based mentors must be at least 21, and those relationships typically last one year or more. That structure is meant to give children a consistent adult connection rather than a short-term activity.

The need for volunteers in Pahrump has been visible for some time. Early last year, the local chapter had six volunteers in town and still needed more, a sign of how hard it can be to build a mentor pool in a smaller community. The shortage leaves the program trying to stretch a limited number of adults across a wider need.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America says its Littles are 20% more likely to enroll in college, earn 15% more over their lifetime and close two-thirds of the economic opportunity gap. The organization also says mentored youth were 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27% less likely to begin using alcohol, 52% less likely to skip school, 37% less likely to skip class and 33% less likely to hit someone. In a community like Pahrump, those numbers point to more than a feel-good program; they point to a practical intervention with long-term consequences for attendance, behavior and future earnings.

Big Brothers Big Sisters says its research is rooted in three decades of data and shows lower absenteeism and fewer school suspensions within 18 months. In Pahrump, the pitch is simple: more volunteers would mean more children matched sooner, and more steady adults showing up each week for the kids who need them most.