St. Charles County Mom Turns to Big Brothers Big Sisters for Extra Layer of Support

Deb Schwer grew up in a small town where everyone knew everyone. Kids played outside until summoned in for dinner. Neighbors kept an eye on each other’s children. Extended families were separated by blocks or perhaps a few short miles.

But times have changed. Now a resident of St. Charles County, the insightful mom says she is like other families whose members are spread out over great distances. The built-in support is now several hours away.

So when Schwer’s husband died in the fall of 2008, the mother of six acknowledged that she needed to look beyond her family for long-term support. Upon the recommendation of an elementary school counselor, Schwer reached out to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri.

The agency matched Schwer’s three youngest children with caring adult mentors, or “Bigs.” Schwer enrolled her son, Matthew, first. “I thought he needed a positive male influence,” the caring mother explained.

Her two youngest, Sarah and Hannah, were next to be matched. “Hannah was having difficulty opening up,” Schwer shared, adding, “She would say that ‘no one could understand’ unless they lost a parent.” Consequently, Schwer thought connecting Hannah to a Big Sister who also experienced a loss would provide the outlet Hannah was seeking.

Schwer said that the Big Brothers Big Sisters’ staff did a good job of finding the right fit for each of her children. The fact that there is tremendous common ground between the Schwer children and their Bigs is no accident.

According to Director of Enrollment Ginny King, the agency works hard to put together the best match possible. “Our mission is about building trusting and enduring relationships,” King stressed. “So on the front end, we carefully consider the preferences and interests of the Big, Little and parent. We look at a number of other factors, too – always focusing on the endurance piece.” 

Pleased with her children’s experience in the program, Schwer said the kids’ relationships with their Bigs have provided them additional opportunities to do fun things. For example, Sarah and her Big Sister Erin have gone fishing. “That’s not something I’m going to do,” Schwer noted. “It’s an activity that they can enjoy together.”

These special friendships have also provided the kids with someone else they can talk to. “It takes a village to raise a child,” Schwer asserted. “Having another caring adult to mentor your child adds another layer of support.”

The Big Brothers Big Sisters program is currently enrolling girls between the ages of 5 and 12 who live in St. Charles, St. Peters and O’Fallon, MO. For more information, contact King at (314) 544-6460 or visit the agency’s website at www.bbbsemo.org.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri