Henson joins Big Brothers/Big Sisters

Business for Louise Henson these days is not about building homes; it's about building the future.

Henson joined Big Brothers/ Big Sisters of the Ozarks Sept. 27 and now serves as the organization's executive director.

"I answered an ad in the paper that they were looking for an executive director for a nonprofit," Henson said. She's no stranger to the nonprofit arena, having served as the executive director of the Greater Spring-field Home Builders Associa-tion for 10 years before resigning from that position in December 2000.

Prior to her new position with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Hen-son worked as the events coordinator for Meek's. Henson said she became more excited about the job possibility once she found out it was with Big Bro-thers/Big Sisters of the Ozarks, "because kids are what it's all about. That's the future."

She said Big Brothers/Big Sisters tries to operate as a preventative program by providing good, solid role models.

"Maybe we can keep them out of drugs and alcohol and gangs and (help) them to realize that school is important, and they need to work hard at school ... and grow up to be productive citizens," Henson said.

Jeff Frye, a Realtor with Jim Hutcheson Realtors, president of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Ozarks Board of Direc-tors, said the board is pleased that Henson joined the organization. Henson replaces Andy Ford, who left to work with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Frye said Henson "really stood out," among the applicants for the job.

"Louise has a tremendous amount of energy ... and I think she's going to really do wonderful things for us," Frye said. "From the board's point (of view) ... we're extremely thrilled with the experience that Louise is bringing to our organization, and we've got all kinds of hopes that she's really going to do great things for us," he added.

As executive director, Henson will handle several different duties, such as fund raising, public relations work and public speaking to explain just what Big Brothers/Big Sisters does.

"We provide adult mentors for children who don't have good role models," Henson said. The organization has three programs: the traditional Big Brothers/ Big Sisters match, the after-school mentoring program and the Big Couple program.

Henson also oversees a staff of six, including a caseworker who runs Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Ozarks' satellite office in Branson.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters programs

The traditional-match program re-quires a volunteer to spend two hours a week with a Little Brother or Little Sister.

"In that program, they're matched up one-to-one, a Big Brother and a Little Brother, or a Big Sister and a Little Sister," Henson said. "You can do whatever you want. We try to match people up with interests. We wouldn't put a computer person with a kid who wants to go fishing and hunting," she said.

The local organization also recently did its first cross-gender match putting a Big Sister with a Little Brother whose interests were similar to her own. In the Big Couple program, a married couple is matched with a single child.

The after-school program requires just an hour a week, during which the adult volunteer works with a child at school on whatever schoolwork needs the child's teacher has identified. The after-school program works with children in kindergarten through fifth grade, and Henson said there are about 120 children and 120 adults in the after-school program.

In the other programs, which work with children ages 6-14, there are about 100 matches. But there is a waiting list of children, especially boys, waiting for an adult mentor, Frye added.

Fund raising

Henson hopes to increase the organization's funding, which, in turn would enable it to use more volunteers, whom she also seeks. Henson said Big Bro-thers/Big Sisters offers $100 scholarships to eligible children for school clothes and supplies, which they shop for with their Big Brother or Sister. The adult volunteers also receive a small amount of money for reimbursement, but Henson said most of what they do with their Little Brother or Sister is paid for out of their own pockets.

The fund-raising aspect of working with a nonprofit organization is becoming more and more challenging, Henson said, particularly since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"A lot of people are concentrating their charitable giving in that area, and I think that's fine, but we have no less need here than we've ever had," she said.

"It's going to be a tough year, I think, because so much funding is going to the World Trade Center relief fund. And I think that's wonderful, I really do ... but don't forget that right here in Spring-field, Missouri, we've got lots and lots of needs that are still ongoing," Henson added.

Big Brothers/Big Sisters is a United Way agency, so it does get some United Way funding. But the rest, Henson said, comes from fund-raising activities such as the 5K run that will be held Nov. 17 and donations sent in by individuals.

She hopes to increase the organization's visibility in the community, "so that when people think ... what charities would be the best to give (money) to,' I'd like for Big Brothers/Big Sisters to come to their mind."

Volunteers

Volunteers are needed, especially to match with Little Brothers.

"They don't have to be doctors and lawyers and wealthy people, but they have to be the right kind of people, mor-ally and ethically and all that sort of thing, because we certainly don't ever want to put a child in danger ... or even in an uncomfortable situation," Henson said.

All adult volunteers are put through extensive background checks, Henson added.

Most children who come to Big Brothers/Big Sisters are from single-parent homes, but the organization also gets referrals from teachers, she said.