CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This month marks a major milestone for a local nonprofit. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas is celebrating 50 years.

The organization provides mentors for kids in the community. According to a Big Brothers Big Sisters spokesperson, there are currently more than 100 kids awaiting a mentor in the region.

One Charlotte-area big brother is encouraging others to get involved. T.J. Francomano is a big brother to 7-year-old Ryker Ennis.

“It’s a good way to get involved and to really have an impact on somebody’s life,” said Francomano. “It’s not something where you hang out with them once and you never see them again, but it can be a lifelong thing.”

The two hang out when their schedules allow and FaceTime a lot in between.

As for Ennis, he gets to have a big brother to look up to.

“I just get to hang out with him every once in a while and since I don’t like have a big brother, it’s like he’s a real big brother to me,” Ennis said.

Over the past 50 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters say they’ve served more than 10,000 children across the region.

If you’re interested in getting involved, you can request more information online.

You will need to complete an application and background check.

To learn the rest of the steps, you can head here.