BBBSA Receives an OJJDP Youth Mentoring grant of $10.75M
More Littles will have a chance to have a Big of their own, thanks to new funding from the Department of Justice. Principal Deputy Attorney General for the Office of…
Learn more about BBBSA Receives an OJJDP Youth Mentoring grant of $10.75M
BBBS and Topgolf “break tees” with new events – more cities announced
A new national initiative pairing Big Brothers Big Sisters with Topgolf just kicked off in Kansas City, resulting in new Big recruitment, as well as $100K in funds raised for the local chapter.
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The 2019 Federated Challenge® raises more than $3 million for Big Brothers Big Sisters
Fifty-nine prominent businesses and more than 500 private citizens gathered at The Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minnesota, on Sunday, July 28, 2019, for the fifteenth annual Federated Challenge supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters. Awe-inspiring generosity on the part of corporate sponsors and attendees generated more than $3 million during this charitable event. One hundred percent of the money raised will be donated to the three Minnesota Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. These monies support one-to-one mentoring that change the lives of Littles for the better, forever, and the Federated Challenge Scholarship Fund. The scholarship fund provides up to $5,000 per year to qualified Littles and high school-aged Bigs enrolled in a non-four-year program at a trade or technical school or community college that focuses on career-ready skills training.
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Video: “Defender of Potential Award: Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod”
In June at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America National Conference (BBBSA), Philadelphia Eagles Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McCleod were recognized as the inaugural Defender of Potential Award Recipients by BBBSA This award honors individuals who have shown extraordinary dedication to Big Brothers Big Sisters in defending the potential of children in our communities, through volunteerism, financial support and advocacy. Jenkins and McCleod epitomize what it means to be a Defender of Potential through their work and volunteerism in Philadelphia.
Video: “Choice of a Lifetime”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America recently teamed up with Emmy Award winning producers at Diamond View Studios on a social experiment that surprised four youth with a “Choice of Lifetime”. Big Brothers Big Sisters inherently believes that all youth can achieve their full potential and through our mission of creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. As an organization that welcomes volunteers and youth of all backgrounds, it’s with full intentionality that we build bridges and create life-long friendships through our mentoring model that is equitable. Kids can teach us a lot, but because of the daily challenges that faces them in this society, they still need and deserve a positive role model and that’s why Big Brothers Big Sisters exist.
BBBSA selected as a Salesforce.org Changemaker and featured in NYT
To celebrate believing in a better future and those organizations who make it possibe, Salesforce.org chose four “Changemaker Correspondents” and tasked four influential storytellers to tell the stories of these organizations. One of them was Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Arby’s Foundation Executive Director’s Editorial: “The Transformative Power of Mentorship”
In April, Arby’s Foundation Executive Director Stuart Brown penned an editorial about the transformative power of mentorship.
How does Big Brothers Big Sisters help Kasaius?
Matching
When Big Brothers Big Sisters works to match a Little with a Big, we take into account the needs, personality, interests, and goals of both the child and the adult volunteer. We introduce the Little and his or her family to the Big slowly and make sure everyone is fully committed to the match before it is made official. Little Brother Kasaius is outgoing and up for anything, so he needed a Big who was creative and had a variety of interests.
Relationship Management
Children like Kasaius get the most out of their one-to-one relationship with their Big when the Big, the parent or guardian, and the child talk openly with their Match Support Specialist. Working as part of the team helping the child succeed, the Match Support Specialist can help identify problems, brainstorm solutions, and connect the family with essential services.
Activities
When Kasaius’ Big Brother saw the email from BBBS saying that there were spots open in a free acting class, he jumped at the chance to take Kasaius. BBBS affiliates across the country provide activities for Bigs and Littles and also alert Bigs to opportunities in the community. This enables Bigs to get to know other Bigs, who might be experiencing similar things and who might have great suggestions for more new activities.
Screening and Training
Child safety is Big Brothers Big Sisters’ highest priority. To achieve the highest standards possible, we work constantly to review and strengthen our background check systems as new best practices in the industry emerge. We also make sure our Bigs and our staff have the training and resources they need to help Littles on their path to success.