BBBS Amachi Program 

 W. Wilson Goode - founder BBBS Amachi Program

What is Amachi: Amachi is the newest component of our BBBS mentoring program. It is the first faith-based program in the Charlotte area designed specifically to mentor children of incarcerated parents. 

How It Started:  In 2000, Rev. W. Wilson Goode (former Mayor, of Philadelphia) created a unique mentoring program. Goode named the program Amachi and geared it specifically to reach children of incarcerated parents. Goode, whose father was incarcerated, credits his success to having a mentor. The program was an instant success. Amachi, a Nigerian word (means who knows but what God has brought us through this child) has proven to be an effective mentoring program within this specific population. Amachi is a national partnership between BBBS of America and the Amachi Foundation. Both are headquartered in Philadelphia, PA. In 2003, Goode's program partnered with BBBS of America and began with 13 BBBS pilot sites, including BBBS of Greater Charlotte. Today, approximately 16 BBBS affiliates out of 400+ are fortunate to have an Amachi program. Currently, more than 300 local children are matched with mentors from 20+ Amachi church partnerships - who recruit members from their congregations as volunteer mentors.

Why Amachi Is Needed: Roughly 2.5 million children in America have a parent in prison, according to national statistics. Further, national research supports the theory that  these invisible children, (invisible because they have not been identified as needing help), are 70% more likely to be locked up during their lifetime than children who do not have an incarcerated parent.

In Charlotte and the surrounding area, roughly 5,000 children have one or both parents currently serving state or federal time. Therefore, it is critical that our Amachi partnerships continue to flourish. With the help of local churches, our BBBS Amachi program will no doubt break cycles of incarceration for these children.   

BBBS is pleased to announce the following great news in our agency's Amachi program:

• BBBS of Cabarrus County now has an Amachi Program! Andrea Adams will oversee the recruitment of volunteers and children for our Cabarrus County Amachi program. Andrea joins current Cabarrus County staffers: William Warren (Program Director Cabarrus County) and Victoria Sanders (Enrollment & Match Specialist).
• Our Amachi partnerships include: East Stonewall AME Zion, Friendship Missionary Baptist, Gethsemane AME Zion, God's Meeting Place, Greater Providence Baptist, Greater Vision United Methodist, Greenville Memorial AME Zion, Holy Comforter Episcopal, Little Rock AME Zion, Mount Carmel Baptist, New Beginnings Community, Our Lady of  Consolation, Pleasant Hill Baptist, Prince of Peace Lutheran, Second Calvary Baptist, Silver Mount Baptist, The Park Ministries/University Park Baptist, Thomasboro Church of Christ and Weeping Willow AME Zion
•  If you or your church are interested in exploring the benefits of an Amachi partnership, contact Mahogany Cromartie at 704-910-1301 ext. 1016 or info@bbbs.org We are actively looking for churches willing to provide volunteer Big Brothers Big Sisters to mentor these children.

 We would also like to thank the following supporters: