Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters Calls for Volunteer Mentors During National Mentoring Month

Hundreds of Los Angeles Youth Are Waiting for a Caring Adult to Step Forward

Los Angeles, CA - January, 2026 - As National Mentoring Month begins, Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles County (CBBBS) is calling attention to a growing and urgent local need: the number of young people waiting for mentors now far exceeds the number of adults volunteering.

Across Los Angeles County, hundreds of children and teens are waiting to be matched with a consistent, caring adult who can offer guidance, encouragement, and stability. National Mentoring Month, observed each January, highlights the proven impact mentorship has on young people's confidence, sense of belonging, and long-term success-but only when mentors step forward.

To help address the shortage, CBBBS is launching a local mentor recruitment campaign aligned with the California Men's Service Challenge, a statewide initiative from the Governor's Office encouraging men to serve as mentors and leaders in their communities. The campaign invites men-and women-to make a meaningful commitment by building one-to-one relationships with local youth.

"Mentorship doesn't require special expertise-it requires consistency and care," said Ken Martinet, CEO of Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles County. "We make the process accessible and supportive. We get to know each volunteer and thoughtfully match them with a young person based on shared interests and compatibility. While the academic and social impact on the child is significant, our mentors consistently tell us the experience has been just as life-changing for them."

CBBBS provides training, ongoing support, and structured matching to ensure mentoring relationships are safe, meaningful, and sustainable. Mentors spend time with their matched youth doing everyday activities-talking, learning, and building trust-creating relationships that can last for years.

Community members interested in becoming a mentor are encouraged to begin by submitting a mentor inquiry, which initiates a guided process to learn more about the commitment and next steps. Individuals and organizations already connected to CBBBS are also encouraged to help address the mentor shortage by sharing the call for volunteers within their networks.

This National Mentoring Month, one adult can change a young person's future.

To learn more about becoming a mentor, visit www.catholicbigbrothers.org/volunteer.

Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters
1530 James M Wood, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Ken Martinet
kmartinet@catholicbigbrothers.org
213-251-9800 Ext 201

Since 1925, Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles County (CBBBS) has provided youth with screened, professionally supported Big Brother and Big Sister mentors. Big Brothers and Big Sisters are volunteers that serve as additional role models in the lives of children from under-served neighborhoods in Los Angeles County.

This release was published on openPR.