Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Mexico is preparing to host its signature fundraiser, Bowl for Kids’ Sake, to support youth mentoring programs serving children and families across San Juan County.
The annual noncompetitive bowling fundraiser raises money for the organization’s one-to-one mentoring programs, which connect children with adult volunteers through school-based and community-based matches.
Neilson Francisco, CEO and director of San Juan and McKinley counties for Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Mexico, said the fundraiser has been held in San Juan County for more than 20 years.
“The main thing is it helps support our programs here in San Juan County,” Francisco said. “We pair volunteers and kids and they meet for at least four to six hours a month.”
The organization supports more than 80 active mentor matches throughout Farmington, Aztec, Bloomfield, Kirtland, Navajo and Shiprock communities. Services are provided at no cost to families, and volunteers undergo background checks and in-depth interviews before being matched with a child.
According to the organization’s 2025 impact statement, San Juan County programs reached 31 schools across six communities, serving more than 270 children throughout the year.
However, the need for mentoring remains significant in New Mexico, which ranks last nationally in overall child well-being, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2025 Kids Count Data Book.
Furthermore, the impact statement reported that 62% of children served in San Juan County are living in poverty, while many local students are not proficient in reading or math. The organization also reported that 93% of mentees avoid truancy and all surveyed participants reported having an important adult in their lives.
Francisco said mentors help expose children to new experiences and provide consistent support outside of school and home life.
“A lot of these kids may come from single-parent families or their families may work, or they may be living with other relatives or maybe their grandparents,” Francisco said. “Sometimes they’ll say, ‘We’re not old enough to do some of these activities,’ but if you can help find a mentor for them, maybe go to the park or ride a bike, to play basketball.”
Mentors often spend time with children doing everyday activities such as visiting parks, riding bikes, attending movies or participating in events organized by the agency. Francisco said the organization also hosts monthly activities to help volunteers and children connect through shared experiences, including skating nights, guided painting sessions, climbing wall outings and pizza-making events.
The agency continues to face a need for more adult mentors, particularly male volunteers, following a decline in volunteer participation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“When COVID happened, we saw a decrease in the number of people interested in signing up,” Francisco said. “And since then, we’ve seen a slow increase year-by-year, but we need more because we still have kids on our waiting list.”
Francisco said there are 10 to 15 children waiting to be matched with mentors.
“We have a lot of boys in our program and they want to be matched with a male big,” he said.
Francisco said many volunteers discover that mentoring benefits them as much as the children they support.
“A lot of our volunteers will tell us after they’ve started, ‘I thought I was in this for the kid, but I seem to be getting something out of this. Like, it’s making me feel more like a kid again,’” Francisco said. “It’s also an outlet for them because I think sometimes people get busy with their work or their job, and they need something different, too, that can help them focus on something different and new.”
This year’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake event features a “Band Together” music theme, with participants encouraged to wear themed costumes and outfits while bowling and fundraising for the mentoring programs.
All funds raised through Bowl for Kids’ Sake remain local and are used to support mentoring services, volunteer background checks and support for children, families and mentors.
Bowl for Kids’ Sake will feature two bowling sessions from noon to 2 p.m. and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. June 13 at Bowlero Lanes, 3704 E. Main St. in Farmington. Teams of five are encouraged to participate and raise funds for the program. Participants will receive event T-shirts, food, drinks and access to prize giveaways.
“Through this fundraiser you’re supporting a program that helps youth find someone, a mentor in their life, someone that can make a lasting impression,” Francisco said. “I’ve had former mentors and littles come back to me and say, ‘You know what, this was a really great experience.’”
To sign up, visit secure.qgiv.com/event/bfkshome.
For more information on volunteering visit bbbsnm.org or call (505) 326-1508.