HARTFORD, Conn. -- Harold Wolliston is not only a father and a husband, but he's also a big brother.

Wolliston's little brother, Isaiah Gamble, lives in Hartford. In 2004, his mother thought he might benefit from having a big brother. So, she turned to the Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, and they turned to Wolliston.

The two made a perfect match.

"Harold is a fantastic mentor. He's very sensitive to his little, Isaiah's needs," organization representative Brian Kelly said. "He spends a lot of time with him. He's a great mentor."

"Tell me about your big brother. What's he like?" Channel 3's Scot Haney asked Isaiah.

"Cool," said Isaiah, who is 12.

Wolliston and Isaiah get together a few times a month for a few hours at a time. Sometimes, they go for excitement.

When asked what they do together, Isaiah said: "Laser tag, bowling, go-cart riding, miniature golf."

Other times are quiet times, when the conversation is key.

"(We) just hang out at a local restaurant and grab something to eat and just talk," Wolliston said.

Wolliston decided to become a big brother after the organization made a presentation at his church, appealing for members to become mentors.

"I had to step in, especially with the amount of violence that was happening with our youth today, especially in the inner city," Wolliston said. "I wanted to play a part in the solution. So, that's why I went ahead and signed up and said, 'What can I do?'"

Wolliston and his wife now have two daughters of their own.

"Even though he has two children and he is very committed to his church and church activities, and even though he has a full-time job that's hugely demanding in retail, he's able to devote his time to society because he wants to," Kelly said. "He feels he owes it to the community."

Big Brother Changes 12-Year-Old's Life

"How has he changed your life?" Haney asked Isaiah.

"It's not that much boring any more," Isaiah said.

"It's been about three years. As a matter of fact, it's three years this month," Wolliston said.

"We gotta celebrate," Isaiah said.

"He's more confident in who he is and what his abilities are, and I think Harold has brought that out," Kelly said.

"I think a lot of people don't realize when you're talking about children -- 78 percent of whom are living at or below poverty -- the world outside their home can be a pretty exciting place," said Laura Green, CEO of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters

While the organization said it has a good number of volunteers for now, they still need money.

"In our community-based program, we ask for six to eight hours a month that you see the child on a one-to-one basis," Green said. "We simply do not have the money to provide the kind of ongoing match support to create the quality relationships these people deserve."

When asked if he thinks of Wolliston as a hero, Isaiah said, "Yes. He could be doing lots of other things, but he spends (time) with me."

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