The Jack in the Box Foundation and local Jack in the Box franchise operator Chris Scanlan donated $15,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu's mentoring program yesterday.

The High School Bigs Mentoring Program provides mentors to children in need.

The foundation said research has shown that children with a mentor are less likely to skip school or use illegal drugs, and they're more likely to get along with their families and peers.

The mentoring program matches high school "bigs" with elementary school "littles."

The $15,000 donation was presented by Jack, the company's mascot, at the Jack in the Box restaurant in Waipahu.

Dennis Brown, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu accepted the donation.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu is a nonprofit organization focused on helping children become responsible adults by matching them one-to-one with volunteer mentors. The agency said it serves more than 700 children on O'ahu.