Venice, Florida - Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast gets a big grant to support a one-to-one mentoring program for children facing adversity.

MetLife Foundation awarded Volunteer Ventures $1,000 grant. It was proposed by Brad Ohmes, a MetLife employee who volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast. He's been a volunteer for three years to 14-year-old Jack Ethier.

The Volunteer Ventures program encourages and supports employee involvement at the local level in nonprofit organizations that work to improve the quality of life for everyone.

When I relocated to Florida in 2005, I became one of the more than 200,000-plus transplants who move to the Sunshine State each year. My first year here was awkward as I began making new social connections through work, by joining the gym, and by finding a spiritual center that resonated with me. Still, the first round of holidays was a tough one. After all, when you’re five-years-old you can easily walk up to another child and ask, “will you be my friend?” but past the age of eight, it’s not always that simple.