SPOKANE -- The Big Brothers, Big Sisters program in Spokane is asking the community for help after the lack in funds forced them to deny kids in need of mentors.

The program serves 280 kids with mentors but staff members say because of a lack of funding this year they've already laid-off nearly half its staff and can't afford to take on any new matches.

Each volunteer who wants to mentor has to undergo a series of interviews, go through a background check and assigned a caseworker after getting matched, which costs about about $1000 a year.

Cat Arnone is a 15 year-old sophomore at Rogers High School who has straight A's, takes advanced classes, performs on the dance team, and plays drums for her church band.

“For me being a single mother to have a kid like that if you talk to her teachers it's embarrassing they rave about her,” Cat's mother, Pamela said.

Pamela put Cat in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters program four years ago because she worried not having a father in the picture was going to affect her.

“It was right at that age where they can go one way of the other,” she said. “It's a relief too, just to know somebody else is here for her.”

Pamela says the program is a big reason her daughter has a very bright future.

“She wants to go to college. She is really excited about it,” she said.

The program's CEO, Darin Christensen says there are currently 280 kids in the program and because of a decrease in donations this year, that number won't increase. Currently there are 150 kids on the waiting list for a mentor and unless something changes, they will stay on that list for a while.

“We have it down to a science, about how much one match to support one child cost every year so when we know we have enough donations, that means one more child to be supported,” said Christensen said.

The Big Brothers, Big Sisters program sent a letter out to all of its volunteers explaining their situation and is asking them to make a one time donation to help it get through these tough times.