Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Announced 2015 Agencies of the Year

Local Offices Excel at Increasing Matches, Programming and Mentorship Impact

Tampa, Fla. (June 3, 2015) — Local Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country help propel mentorship in their communities. Last night, the top local agencies from across the country were recognized at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America 2015 National Conference gala by the national headquarters and the National Leadership Council. Agency of the Year honors went to BBBS of the Greater Miami Valley, BBBS of Greater Pittsburgh and BBBS of Greater Kansas City for their outstanding growth and tireless dedication to mentorship.

“The Agency of the Year awards are given to the local affiliates that exemplify the characteristics of a successful and effective Big Brothers Big Sisters agency, delivering results that ultimately impact entire communities,” said Pam Iorio, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America president and CEO. “We congratulate these agencies and thank their leaders and staff for all they do and the example they set.”

The Small Agency of the Year award was presented to BBBS of Greater Miami Valley. BBBSGMV has transformed its agency in recent years, excelling in programming, community partnerships and fund development. Over the past five years, the agency has had more than 100 percent revenue growth and increased children served by more than 40 percent.

BBBS of Greater Pittsburgh received the Midsize Agency of the Year award. The agency stands out through innovative programming such as mentor2.0, STARTup SOMETHING and Match Makers. Furthermore, it has increased its revenue while still maintaining increases in service numbers.

BBBS of Greater Kansas City was recognized as the Large Agency of the Year. The agency’s business-minded approach to managing programs, recruiting volunteers and raising funds has led to high-quality, sustainable growth as one of the nation’s fastest-growing agencies. The agency also boasts a 90 percent employee retention rate.

The Agency of the Year award winners are determined by substantial growth in the number of children served, quality and length of mentoring matches and increased revenues that support the agency financially.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network, provides children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Partnering with parents/guardians, schools, corporations and others in the community, Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully pairs children (“Littles”) with screened volunteer mentors (“Bigs”) and monitors and supports these one-to-one mentoring matches throughout their course. The Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Survey substantiates that its mentoring programs have proven, positive academic, socio-emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth — areas linked to high school graduation, avoidance of juvenile delinquency and college or job readiness. This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization’s 110-year history. With 325 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves approximately 200,000 children, their families and 200,000 volunteer mentors. Learn more at www.BigBrothersBigSisters.org.