Posts

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has awarded Big Brothers Big Sisters of America two grants totaling $11.75 million to continue the national non-profit’s evidence-based one-to-one mentoring program.

The first grant is the Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative; the second is the OJJDP Statewide and Regional Mentoring Initiative for Youth Impacted by Opioids (MYIO). The investment in these two critical programs will mean that youth in communities across the country will be matched with caring adult mentors, through more than 90 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies. Funding is important, as the need for mentoring services is needed now more than in ever with youth facing challenges and isolation due to the pandemic.

When comparing Big Brothers Big Sisters Risk and Protective Inventory (RPI) data to national data, parents who have children enrolled in a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program report that 28% have one or more family members who has a problem with alcoholism or drug use, compared to 8% children nationally.

“We are very appreciative of OJJDP’s continued support,” said Pam Iorio, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “This increase in funding will make an incredible impact on our agencies and staff who are committed to empowering youth and the communities they serve.”

Dial®, America’s trusted brand for over 70 years, will once again continue their annual efforts to promote healthy hygiene habits in support of Global Handwashing Day on October 15, 2020. Dial has always been there for families, acting as a provider of products for clean, healthy skin. This year, Dial is continuing its partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America® to emphasize the importance of hand washing in an effort to reach as many mentees (“Littles”) as possible with this message.

Dial‘s 2020 Global Handwashing Day campaign mission is to continue to keep proper hand washing hygiene top of mind and ask participants to help each other out and share this important message. Today, October 15th, Dial makes its debut on the popular video-sharing app, TikTok, and invites everyone to join their #DialItForward challenge. Top TikTok influencers will kick off the challenge, which will run from 10/15-10/17, and will be driven by an original music composition written specifically for Dial and Global Handwashing Day for TikTokers to feel the celebratory vibes while washing their hands. Throughout the challenge, TikTokers will interact with others by using the app’s “duet” function to appear as if the soap is being passed from one person to another as they wash their hands. As part of Dial‘s continued support and partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Dial will encourage Bigs and Littles to take part in the TikTok challenge themselves in an effort to encourage meaningful connections (virtually).

“The Dial brand is proud to educate consumers about the importance of incorporating healthy hand hygiene into their daily lives. We believe good habits should start at an early age, which is why our partnerships this year are so meaningful,” says Randi Melton, Vice President of Body Care for Henkel. “As a family brand, we wanted to do something educational, yet fun, that helps people maintain a sense of connection with others during this time,” said Melton.

This is the third year Dial® has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters as part of Global Handwashing Day. In a combined effort, both companies’ collective objective is to teach healthy hygiene habits and promote wellness for all families. Dial remains dedicated to helping Big Brothers Big Sisters mentees (“Littles”)  by promoting healthy hygiene habits and mentoring relationships.

“This is our third year partnering with Dial for Global Handwashing Day,” said Pam Iorio, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “And the engaging lessons Dial shares with our Bigs and Littles, are great reminders for us all, about the importance of practicing good hand washing habits.”

“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership and support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Everyone at Dial is honored to be putting organizations like this to the forefront, while giving back to communities during this time,” said Melton.

Show your support for Global Handwashing Day and join the challenge on TikTok by using the hashtag #DialItForward and tagging us on Instagram @Dial #GlobalHandwashingDay #DialItForward

For more information, visit Global Handwashing Day, Dial and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and please share the knowledge of proper, frequent handwashing with friends and family on Thursday, October 15, and beyond.

The HRC Foundation’s analysis of the YRBS data demonstrates that LGBTQ teens are continuing to experience bullying and violence from their peers, communities and partners across the United States. As a result, LGBTQ youth more often skip school due to feeling unsafe, have lower academic performance and live in a state of mental health crisis. These experiences are compounded by high rates of sleep deprivation and depressive symptoms. Struggling with rejection, bullying and violence, LGBTQ teens also have higher rates of substance use, which they may be using as a coping tool in their lives.

HRC Foundation and our Project THRIVE partners have developed a checklist to guide schools and youth-serving organizations on what they can do to improve the lives of LGBTQ youth. The research-based actions included in the checklist can significantly decrease bias and stigma that result in hostile environments for LGBTQ students, and create safe and affirming spaces where all young people can thrive.

Initially launched in May 2019, Project THRIVE is a multi-year national campaign with the goal of creating more equitable, inclusive support systems and communities for LGBTQ youth. Project THRIVE aims to build the knowledge, skills and capacities of all youth-serving professionals to better meet the needs of LGBTQ young people. Project THRIVE is a collaborative effort of many national organizations, each committed to identifying opportunities within their own sphere of influence to increase awareness about and provide resources to address the unmet needs of LGBTQ youth, and to highlight best practices and success stories from their respective professional fields.

HRC’s 23 Project THRIVE partners who have signed onto the joint statement include: Alliance for Strong Families and Communities; American Academy of Pediatrics; American Association of School Librarians; American Counseling Association; American Federation of Teachers; American School Counselor Association; Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; Boost Collaborative; Child Mind Institute; Child Welfare League of America; Council of Juvenile Justice Administrators; Mental Health America; National Association for College Admissions Counseling; National Association of School Nurses; National Association of School Psychologists; National Association of Secondary School Principals; National Association of Social Workers; National Education Association; National Parent Teacher Association; National Register of Health Service Psychologists; Point Source Youth; School Social Work Association of America; Society of Pediatric Nurses.

To continue delivering critical services, nonprofits face an indisputable digital transformation

Across the nonprofit sector, the Covid-19 pandemic has created a bracing wake-up call, as leaders realize they must pivot to digital—fast. In the rush to create remote workplaces and move programs online, it has become clear that adopting digital capabilities is not merely a method for staying relevant during shelter-in-place, it’s essential for surviving beyond the crisis.

“There is a heightened awareness in the nonprofit sector for the need to digitally adapt as the world around us changes,” says Adrian Ruddock, Director of Information Services at UK-based NCS Trust, who has worked in the sector for 20 years.

Not only do they need to pivot fast, but many nonprofits need to do so with fewer resources. While volunteers provide critical support for nonprofits, social distancing has dramatically reduced in-person volunteering. In fact, a report from VolunteerMatch found that 93% of nonprofits saw volunteer cancellations during Covid-19.

Despite these new challenges, nonprofits’ resilience has shown through as they continue to support their clients and those most vulnerable during the pandemic.Empowering engagement

On the other hand, organizations that already have a digital strategy in place are not only weathering the crisis, they are actually enhancing their long-term operations.

NCS Trust demonstrated their “No We Can” attitude and digital superpower first-hand, after they had to completely re-imagine the organization’s core service—offering U.K. 16- and 17-year-olds summer experiences that typically include outdoor activities like climbing and kayaking and community-service projects like working at food banks and charity shops.

“It’s impossible to replace an in-person experience, but what isn’t impossible is in this moment is to give young people a taste of the NCS experience and the confidence they need to realise their potential,” says Craig Hayward, NCS Trust’s Director of Digital Customer Engagement.

Using Salesforce.org technology for nonprofits, they were able to deliver a reimagined experience this summer. The team created a digital platform to manage the key stages and aspects of the customer journey with Salesforce Communities. Participants connected on shared interests, from cooking to climate change. NCS Trust used a variety of customer feedback tools to better understand the young people and their interests, which enabled them to improve their programming and content offering on a continual basis. Using Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder, NCS Trust delivered a customer contact strategy to improve engagement.

The activities, including webinars and discussion boards were an instant hit. NCS Trust saw a 180 percent increase in digital engagement compared with last year, with participants spending nearly twice as much time with the content than they did previously. As a result of this success, NCS Trust plans to incorporate the digital content into its core programming, using the platform to engage with participants well in advance of the summer seasons.

The NCS Trust activities surrounding community service were especially popular, which underscores an important bright spot of this moment. “There’s more appetite for young people to help communities recover from this difficult time” says Ruddock.Facilitating better support

Even before pandemic struck, the Salesforce.org Nonprofit Trends Report found that 75 percent of nonprofits saw an increased demand for their programs in the past five years. As more people fall into vulnerability due to the pandemic—becoming sick, losing jobs, facing eviction—that demand will continue to rise.

At Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), administrators quickly realized they’d need to fill in many gaps for the young people who participate in their one-on-one mentoring programs. The team needed to move these in-person relationships online—training volunteers in the nuances of safely connecting over Zoom rather than, say, a baseball game. At the same time, BBBSA had to safeguard the 36,000 children still awaiting a match.

To keep families engaged, BBBSA hosted Zoom game nights. Their local chapters also worked with local food banks to ensure that kids missing out on school lunch and breakfast programs had enough to eat. “We had wraparound services before, but now it has become so much more important and so much more prevalent,” says Jarrod Bell, BBBSA’s Chief Technology Officer.

While BBBSA already had a strong digital infrastructure, Bell says the pandemic compelled them to fast-track plans to keep their Bigs and Littles connected with Community Cloud. Rather than a monthly check-in call with mentors —“Bigs”—they are developing a system that facilitates same-day status updates. If the Big reports that the Little was concerned about an upcoming math test, for example, BBBSA can quickly enlist a math-support specialist to assist.

BBBSA is also building systems to provide Bigs with more data on the Littles’ progress—for example, if their grades rise or they’re elected to student government.

“You’re in this relationship, and it’s emotionally fulfilling, but to have it backed up with data proving you’ve had a positive impact in this Little’s life – that is huge,” says BellUpgrading quickly

Even organizations that previously had no digital program were able to quickly make the switch. Prior to the pandemic, Age UK Hythe and Lyminge used pen-and-paper to organize their phone-calling service. After the lockdowns began, their vulnerable clients needed more assistance than ever. AgeUK connected with more than 18,000 elderly members of the community to offer support and ensure that their clients, all over 70 years old, were safe. At the same time they were faced with mobilizing a recent influx of volunteers to perform tasks like grocery shopping and fetching prescriptions.

So using Salesforce.org Nonprofit Cloud, administrators quickly implemented a digital system that enables volunteers to call beneficiaries from their homes, providing real-time status updates to determine who needs support. “It was instant,” says Hayley Ross, Age UK Hythe and Lyminge Service Manager. “There wasn’t any delay in identifying what the clients needed and then getting them help.”

By August, 150 Age UK Hythe and Lyminge volunteers had called more than 18,000 clients and completed nearly 20,000 support tasks.Digital programs bring lasting benefits

For NCS Trust, BBBSA, and Age UK Hythe and Lyminge, the pandemic created the incentive to implement or enhance digital programs. These changes will continue to benefit these organizations and their constituents in the long term. NCS Trust is using its digital platform to create more enduring relationships with their participants. BBBSA is deepening the relationships its Bigs and Littles have with the organization and each other. And Age UK can now get help to their vulnerable clients at a speed they never imagined before.

Despite new challenges and resource constraints, many nonprofits are embracing technology to prepare for a more resilient future.

“You don’t have to have all the resources under the sun to be successful. You just have a mindset and a culture that allows you to adapt and move quickly,” says Bell. “If we do that, as a whole, the sector could come out much stronger.”

DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, vulnerable and marginalized communities that rely on nonprofit services have been hit especially hard. An interruption in services would further jeopardize the safety and wellbeing of those communities.

Proactive digital strategies can enable nonprofits to continue to offer services during this crucial time. It can also allow them to successfully fundraise, manage volunteers, and build constituent relationships to keep their programs running. Going digital has shifted from a matter of choice to survival.

Robin Hood, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and buildOn are among several nonprofits investing in digital technology. Each organization has accelerated its digital footprint to help them serve constituents today, and to lay the foundation to thrive in the future.

---

Robin Hood

IN NEW YORK, many of the people most affected by COVID-19 were those already living paycheck-to-paycheck. Leaders at Robin Hood, a nonprofit committed to raising New Yorkers out of poverty, knew they needed to respond quickly.

In March, Robin Hood launched a COVID relief fund. Their efforts included a virtual benefit, and a COVID weekly newsletter to keep donors and prospects close to the work. Since the launch of the relief fund, the organization has processed over $50 million in relief through nearly 700 grants, and grew its donor base by more than 80,000 people.

Robin Hood’s fundraising, programmatic, and grants deployment teams were able to manage this increased volume by working together on the same digital platform, which was built on Salesforce. As donations came in, these teams processed them through the platform and entered contact information in the database in real time. This enabled the organization to immediately send out acknowledgement letters to their new donors, and build relationships with them on social media.

“With our strong digital strategy, we can keep donors and prospects informed on programs and show them the effect they’re having,” says Sheila Kelly, chief advancement officer at Robin Hood. “Nonprofits that focus on their digital strategy, and show impact metrics can stand out and gain support even during a time of economic instability.”

---

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA (BBBSA) is known for matching adult volunteers (Bigs) with children (Littles). COVID-19 presented a challenge for in-person relationship building, which has long been BBBSA’s core offering. The organization was concerned that the experience would not be the same virtually.

Knowing they couldn’t disrupt this support system for the Littles and their families, BBBSA leaders looked to their existing technology. Their current Salesforce infrastructure, they realized, had the necessary tools to continue facilitating engagement, including training Bigs on how to best support Littles in a virtual environment.

Now, to ensure Littles and their families get the most out of the experience, BBBSA deploys a Youth Outcome Survey with Marketing Cloud, which helps the organization analyze matches. In the past, it could take almost 90 days to get all the data into the system, but now BBBSA gets 70 percent of surveys back in less than 24 hours.

In just eight weeks, BBBSA also spun up a scalable online community with Community Cloud. In that community, Bigs can access articles and trainings on how to effectively support mentoring online, Bigs and Littles can communicate directly, and Bigs can report back to program staff how their now virtual hangouts are going. This builds a near-live scorecard, which creates the opportunity for proactive support and intervention when necessary.

“We realized we could take the relationship out of the real world and give Littles a virtual platform to engage on a one-on-one basis,” says Jarrod Bell, BBBSA’s chief technology officer. “The organization could still be there to offer support and to make sure they were safe and getting the most out of their matches.”

---

buildOn

BUILDON, an organization that empowers young people in urban areas to transform their neighborhoods and the world through intensive community service, started investing in its data and digital strategy in 2014 with Salesforce’s Nonprofit Starter Pack. Since then, the organization has used Nonprofit Cloud to build out its financial systems, omni-channel marketing strategy, and collaboration tools to reach and connect constituents around the world.

Despite its digital infrastructure, COVID-19 still presented challenges for the buildOn. The organization’s gala, a big source of funding, had to be moved online. Its volunteer programs— including Trek, which sends volunteers to build schools in six developing countries—were put on hold.

The tools buildOn had in place, however, gave the organization an agile mindset, and the ability to pivot quickly. Employees built a new virtual event strategy after testing different options with small groups. And with all their data on one platform, they can engage stakeholders around the world with updates on the impact of the work.

buildOn is also creating a virtual Trek experience, which challenges participants to construct a virtual school. This will keep participants engaged while social distancing orders are in place, and provide an immersive experience to draw in future prospects. The organization is also using this time to create a self-service community, including a curriculum in Trailhead for those participating in Trek.

“As we’re scaling up this stakeholder community, part of that will be managing these experiences better in the future,” says Eric Dayton, director of data at buildOn. “We have the systems and tools to keep people engaged and help them feel connected to the organization during this time. We’ll also be able to scale by 500 percent when the world gets back to normal.”

---

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the nation’s most experienced mentoring organization is now providing a new podcast series to help parents and mentors prevent youth from falling victim to the opioid crisis. The national Mentoring Youth Impacted by Opioids (MYIO) grant, one-to-one mentoring program, pairs mentors (called ‘Bigs’) with youth, aged 9 to young 17 (called ‘Littles’). Big Brothers Big Sisters’ evidence-based approach is designed to create positive youth outcomes, including educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, and improved relationships. Parents/guardians and mentors will have access to the new Opioid Abuse Prevention Podcast Series beginning in October, which is National Substance Abuse Prevention Month.

The 10-episode podcast series will feature experts from Caron Treatment Centers, Tower Health and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Topics include: The Opioid Epidemic—Where it Stands; Thriving Despite Trauma–Practical Strategies for Instilling Resiliency in Youth; and

The Importance of a Positive Peer Culture in Opioid Abuse Prevention.

When comparing Big Brothers Big Sisters Risk and Protective Inventory (RPI) data to national data, parents who have children enrolled in a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program report that 28% have one or more family members who has a problem with alcoholism or drug use, compared to 8% children nationally.

The goal of the podcast series is to decrease the likelihood that youth will engage in opioid or illicit substance use and provide support to those who are impacted by personal or family-member opioid abuse.

“We know the strength of our mentoring program relies not only on the connection between the Big and the Little, but the support from the parent or guardian, too.” said Pam Iorio, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “Whenever we can offer an extra layer of guidance or additional resources to our families, we can play a role in that young person’s success.”

“Tragically, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to even more families being affected by opioid use disorder,” said Tammy Granger, Vice President of Education at Caron Treatment Centers. “That’s why it’s more critical than ever that parents, caregivers, and mentors are educated about the disease of addiction and empowered to support the well-being of their loved ones and ‘Littles’ during these challenging times.”

This podcast series is funded by the Mentoring Youth Impacted by Opioids (MYIO) grant #2018-JU-FX-0023 from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor any of its components are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this podcast, (including, without limitation, its content, policies, and any services or tools provided).

The series will be available to the 236 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country. Click here to listen to one of the podcast episodes, Thriving Despite Trauma—Practical Strategies for Instilling Resiliency in Youth.

Karma Water is proud to announce a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of
America (BBBSA) to support their mission of empowering children to live up to their full potential through mentorship.
Karma Water believes in the mantra that what we do today will affect tomorrow, including paying it forward. Beginning
in September 2020, Karma pledges to donate to Big Brothers Big Sisters to enhance their mission of creating and
supporting one-to-one mentorship relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters’
evidence-based approach is designed to create positive youth outcomes, including educational success, avoidance of
risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and improved relationships. Youth in the program, called
‘Littles’, are paired with caring adult mentors, called ‘Bigs’. Typically, Bigs and Littles spend time in the community
enjoying free, low-cost activities. But with physical distancing guidelines in place, Bigs and Littles are learning to adapt
using technology, communicating through video calls or even playing games online. Through this new partnership,
Karma Water and Big Brothers Big Sisters will encourage society to ‘do good’, through the power of co-branded
storytelling on social media.
“We are honored to partner with an organization that promotes positive change through mentorship. Helping to improve
the lives of children should unite us all,” explains CJ Rapp, Karma CEO. “We’ve seen firsthand, through the experience of
one of Karma’s advisors and shareholders, Gerry Chambers, the amazing impact that the program can have. I’m thrilled
to be able to make this pledge to support Big Brothers Big Sisters now and into the future.”
Gerry volunteers through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester, New York. His Little Brother Tony was 11 years
old when they met. Five years later, the friendship has made an impact on Tony—and Gerry, too.
“My relationship with my Little Brother Tony through BBBS has been an incredibly positive experience. I see us both
continuing to benefit from remaining in each other’s lives.” – Gerry Chambers, “Big Brother”, Karma Advisor &
Shareholder
“When I met my Big Brother, I didn’t talk much, and it was hard for me to trust people. But after a while, my confidence
grew, and I knew Gerry was someone I could rely on.”– “Little Brother” Tony
“We appreciate the support from Karma Water, and their commitment to ‘do good’ in the community,” said Pam Iorio,
President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “Our Bigs are also committed to ‘doing good’ by igniting the
potential of our nation’s youth. Our mentoring program hasn’t stopped; despite the pandemic and other challenges our
country is facing today, our Bigs have found ways to stay connected with their Littles–virtually. Their dedication shows
that Bigs will be there for their Littles—now, and long after this crisis ends.”
The partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters and Karma Water is the start of a long-term relationship intended to
promote kindness and good deeds.

Across the globe, about 40% of employers find it difficult to recruit people with the skills they need for their businesses (The Learning Generation: Investing in Education for a Changing World, 2016). Mentoring can be an integral part of the solution in both better preparing youth for high-demand careers and offering employers a means of engaging and retaining their talented staff.

In 2008, Big Brothers Big Sisters established a workplace mentoring program, and partnered with Comcast NBCUniversal to grow it into a national program. The program addresses the challenges of preparing youth for post-high school success. Typically, students (called ‘Little Brothers’ or ‘Little Sisters’) from a neighborhood elementary, middle or high school, spend time with their mentor (called a ‘Big Brother’ or ‘Big Sister’) onsite at the offices of a local corporation. The Littles have an opportunity to visit a professional workplace setting, and learn about different career opportunities, from financial literacy to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), while developing meaningful relationships with the employee “Big.”

“Our employees are passionate about being positive role models and champions for young people,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation. “After more than a decade of experience with Beyond School Walls, the program remains one of our employees’ most popular volunteer initiatives, and helps them to become better leaders while inspiring young people about what is possible.”

At Beyond School Walls sites across the nation, young people enrolled in the program report improved grades and peer relationships – mirroring the positive youth outcomes synonymous with Big Brothers Big Sisters legacy, community-based mentoring program, while reducing potential barriers to entry for volunteers by meeting them in their workplace.

And companies have found that the mentoring program can improve morale for employees; studies show volunteerism can reduce the high costs associated with employee turnover by 39% (Source: Youth Truth Survey, 2016).

Currently, 52 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies in 30 states offer a Beyond School Walls program, serving more than 8,400 youth. The 343 corporate partners engaged in the program include the financial sector, government, travel and leisure, business services, and health care. Click here to read the 2020 Big Brothers Big Sisters report, Equipping Tomorrow’s Workforce: The Case for Workplace Mentoring.

“The challenges youth are facing today are compounded by the restrictions and stress of the pandemic,” said Pam Iorio, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.  “We have heard from Littles who have said they did not feel prepared to enter the workforce after high school. Keeping our youth connected to their Bigs in the Beyond School Walls Program is critical for their future as tomorrow’s leaders.”

Even with physical distancing limitations in place due to the pandemic, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies are enhancing the Beyond School Walls Program by providing virtual connections for Bigs and Littles. Staff members have created targeted curriculums for corporations and provided additional coaching, training and other resources to ensure youth have the support they need, long after this crisis ends.

To learn how your organization can get involved in a workplace mentoring program, contact Causemarketing@bbbs.org.

Statement of Guiding Principles to Advance Racial Equity and Justice

As leaders who are committed to equity and justice, as mission-focused organizations who are stewards of the public trust, and as a nonprofit sector with far-reaching impact on the national economy, the undersigned are committed to advancing racial justice and equity in all areas of civic and community life. We are deeply moved by the stark racial injustice that the intersecting crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and police violence toward people of color have once again revealed — racial injustice that is intertwined with America’s past and its present. The racial and ethnic disparities that persist across economic, education, healthcare, criminal justice, and other sectors of society make clear that systemic racism continues to undermine the foundations of well-being for communities of color by denying access to opportunity and making it more difficult to secure jobs, housing, healthcare, education, nutrition and equal treatment under law.

Faced with this moment of national urgency and entrusted by communities to lead in crisis, we affirm and commit to utilizing the following principles and values as a guide in our individual collective efforts to advance equity and justice:

We commit to dismantling systemic racism, redressing past discrimination, and advancing equity within our organizations, in our communities, and in our nation–through our organizational policies and practices in our programmatic work and by advocating for changes in public policy and law. Racial and ethnic disparities are a direct result of systemic racism today as well as past, unremedied discrimination that was often imposed or sanctioned by the government. Addressing these disparities requires our active engagement to change law, policy and practice.

We are committed to achieving a more comprehensive approach to justice and safety that invests needed resources in schools, child care, mental and behavioral health, affordable housing, job training and other supportive programs and services that contribute to healthy, strong, safe and vibrant communities. Societal goals of racial justice and public safety are best achieved when communities have the resources to match crisis situations with an appropriate response, whether that be mental and behavioral health, social service, police and other interventions.

As we work to strengthen communities, we must listen to and lift up the voices and experiences of impacted people and communities, particularly the voices of young people in those communities who will lead future generations. Intentionally engaging impacted communities strengthens policies, strategies, and decision-making. When we center and address the needs of the most marginalized, we recognize their humanity and advance equity and opportunity for all.

As we evaluate our programmatic work as well as policy proposals and legislation, we will specifically examine the extent to which they decrease racial disparities and oppression, particularly in systems and settings known to disproportionately and negatively impact people of color and other marginalized groups; advance solutions that have been developed in collaboration with and have the support of impacted communities, incorporate an intersectional and multi-sector approach to community challenges; and include the investments needed to fully implement and achieve racial equity outcomes.

Alliance for Strong Families and Communities

American Alliance of Museums

American Cancer Society

American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network

American Heart Association

Americans for the Arts

Association of Art Museum Directors

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Catholic Charities USA

Council for Advancement and Support of Education

Covenant House International

Dance/USA

Feeding America

Girls Inc.

Goodwill Industries International, Inc.

Habitat for Humanity International

Independent Sector

Leadership 18

League of American Orchestras

Lutheran Services in America

Mental Health America

National Council on Aging

National Council of Nonprofits

National Human Services Assembly

Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies

OPERA America

United Philanthropy Forum

United Way Worldwide

The Salvation Army

The Arc of the United States

Volunteers of America

Welcoming America

YWCA USA

When David Bocangel started volunteering at Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee in 2018, life was quite different. He signed up knowing there was a need for male mentors and those who spoke Spanish. David was excited about the opportunity to mentor a 7-year-old boy and share life experiences, too. Through the mentoring organization’s Site-Based program, David would spend time with Juan each week and Juan’s first grade teacher noticed a change, how he grew academically, and felt more comfortable embracing his differences.

Earlier this year, David made the decision to transition to the Site-Based Plus program so the two could also spend time together outside of school. He’s glad he did. That interaction and connection is even more important today, because of COVID-19 and the concern that social isolation will take a toll on our nation’s youth. 

There are so many unknowns about the long-lasting impact of a global pandemic on our local communities, but one truth remains certain: our youth, like Juan, are considered the most vulnerable, and their wellbeing is critical to our nation’s recovery.

Established more than a century ago, Big Brothers Big Sisters is committed to creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth, now, and long after this crisis ends. Thanks to the support of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, 15 agencies in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Federation have received funding to continue to innovate and devise new strategies to support our volunteers (called ‘Bigs’), the children we serve (called ‘Littles’) and the Littles’ families.

Our mentoring program is considered an essential service; parents and guardians have a high level of trust in our professionally trained staff. Some have shared that Big Brothers Big Sisters has provided peace of mind that we are here for their child.

Agencies that received funding are located in rural communities and small towns, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State in Huntington, West Virginia, currently supporting 129 Big/Little matches per year; to larger cities, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati, Ohio, with nearly 1,200 Big/Little matches. The youth and volunteers in the program represent diversity in many areas (i.e. elementary-aged and high school Littles, younger and seasoned volunteers, those in the LGBTQ community and, matches from different ethnic backgrounds).

Each community faces its own unique set of challenges. Based on data from the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) study, we know that living in a single-parent household, with a family member suffering from mental illness, or with someone using drugs or alcohol are all indicators of childhood trauma. ACEs are linked to risky health behaviors, poor health outcomes, and even early death. Compared to national statistics, young people enrolled in Big Brothers Big Sisters programs are experiencing these circumstances more often than their peers. Social isolation can compound the effects of trauma and adverse childhood experiences. Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring relationships can protect against the harmful effects of ACEs and help young people who are exposed to childhood trauma heal.

When schools closed and shelter-in-place orders were enacted nationwide last spring, Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring didn’t stop. Physical distancing guidelines may have paused in-person visits, but Big Brothers Big Sisters staff continue to find innovative ways to keep kids connected. On the national level, we are developing and launching eMentoring communication options allowing staff, Bigs, and Littles to stay in communication virtually and in real time. Not only has it been a sense of comfort for the Little, but the Big, too.

In addition to enhanced mentoring support and coaching, Big Brothers Big Sisters staff have worked to obtain additional resources for families, from delivering food and securing educational tools for learning to even establishing free drive-up Wi-Fi services at their agency offices. And for the Littles, their friendship with their Bigs may be the only sense of normalcy in a world that has turned upside down.

Once we are through this immediate crisis, we know that our youth and families will continue to feel lasting, profound effects. We thank SNF for being a committed partner to help alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read full article HERE.