By nature, Brianna is quiet, but it’s her artwork and smile that light up the room. Brianna’s mother knew her daughter had potential, but in middle school, Brianna would often close herself off, not wanting to talk to anyone. When she met her Big Sister Ashley, they realized they had two main things in common: a love of frozen yogurt and they are not big fans of being outdoors! Even though they started to connect, Ashley knew her Little Sister still had walls up.

What she didn’t know, was that when Brianna’s serious relationship with her girlfriend ended, severe bullying intensified. “I didn’t tell anyone about it, I had never experienced that before,” said Brianna. “I was in a very dark place and didn’t want to be here anymore.”

But it was during her lowest time that Brianna realized that she did have a strong support system in her family—and her Big Sister Ashley—who were there for her, not to judge, but to listen.

The past four years have been a long journey of healing and building trust.  Ashley admires Brianna’s resiliency and courageous spirit. Brianna graduated this year, and hopes to pursue a career in art therapy, to help other young people know, no matter what they’re going through, they’re not alone.

Last week, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and The Pro Football Hall of Fame hosted a town hall with a group of panelists on how to make strides in improving race relations in America.

#HuddleUpAmerica Listen featured guests including Hall of Famers Aeneas Williams and Champ Bailey.

See the full video here!

A message to our Federation from BBBSA President & CEO, Pam Iorio – We can all feel the change, the ground shifting under our feet. Sometimes it takes the luxury of years, of hindsight, and perspective to know when a society has changed. But in the spring of 2020, we can see it happen before our very eyes.   It is change born in 1619 and woven into the history of the United States starting with the atrocities of human rights abuses and slavery.    It is change from the unlawfulness of segregation, racial profiling, wrongful imprisonment, inequitable sentencing practices, and unchecked police brutality that has left millions of Americans living in an unequal and repressive world.    It is change born from the words of civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer, who famously said in the 1960s, “I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.”   It was George Floyd’s murder on May 25th, on the heels of the senseless murders of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and before them many others, that finally unleashed what has been building for so long. Systemic racism came into full view for all to see, a seismic moment of clarity.   Almost overnight, Black Lives Matter evolved from a movement to a simple truth that a Black life must be valued equally to all lives. When a Black person is wrongfully targeted and killed at the hands of the police, it must matter as much as any life and we must stand against this injustice. There cannot be two Americas. We must strive to be one equitable, inclusive and just union.   It is our collective honor at this point in our history to be a part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters mission. We are tasked with defending the potential of all young people we serve, our Littles. In 2019, more than 70% of the children we served across the country were children of color.   There have been so many thoughtful writings over the past weeks. One line from Jeannine Gant, our leader from Detroit illuminates our role: “Mentoring helps youth deal with trauma brought on by generations of oppression, solely based on the color of their skin, a dehumanizing construct that reverberates through every fiber of our country.”   At this historic moment, when change can be felt, what actions can Big Brothers Big Sisters take to strengthen and elevate our work with youth? First, we must take every opportunity to denounce racism, bigotry and prejudice. Defending potential means we openly and consistently address the systemic barriers our children of color face. Racism is part of the trauma in many young lives. We must name it and act upon it every single day.   Second, we will create trainings for our volunteer Bigs and our BBBS staff members across the country so they can be best equipped to talk to their Littles about this prevalence of violence and racism. We don’t want to compound trauma in our youth by being ill-equipped or misinformed on how to best support our Littles. Third, this is an opportunity to examine and improve upon our Bigs in Blue/Bigs with Badges program. This program is designed to develop strong one-to-one relationships between police officers and our Littles. The vision of the program is to provide a structure within our mission to help disarm bigotry, racism, and preconceived stereotypes at all levels. It is connecting police officers to the young people they serve, for a better appreciation of communities, families, and the adverse conditions many live with every day. Many of our agencies report very positive results from the dialogue and greater understanding resulting from these matches. Jeri Swinton, our leader from Louisville shared a staff member’s idea that we have a dialogue with our law enforcement partners about policing best practices. There are many ways this important program can be improved and towards that end, we are establishing an agency-led task force to examine and make recommendations on how we can be advocates for change in our local communities and how this program can better serve young people.   Fourth, we must engage in a dialogue with each of our funding partners to ensure that our respective values on racial justice and equity are aligned. We are an inclusive and equitable organization that values everyone from our staff, board members, volunteers, and Littles. Our partners must embrace the differences and the uniqueness of all people who will help support our organization in building bridges and igniting, empowering and defending the potential of the youth we serve. All of us as human beings are works in progress; learning, evolving, and changing. We must leverage this moment in our nation’s history to make progress together.   Finally, the National Office, working with the Nationwide Leadership Council’s (NLC) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, (DEI) Committee (which comprises 32 members) will continually produce information you can use for your staff, boards, Bigs, Littles and their families, and funders. Under the title, Race, Relationships, & Resources, we will facilitate national conversations to further understanding and actions, and provide quality material and host webinars dedicated to educating our communities about race, as well as provide resources on how to facilitate meaningful reflection, connection, and action to create racial justice. The NLC’s DEI Committee, along with our internal DEI Champions Committee will also begin examining our policies and procedures (hiring and staff retention, background checks, job descriptions) and the Standards of Practice.   This is just the beginning of what Big Brothers Big Sisters can accomplish. The list will expand as all of you, individually and collectively, add to the ideas that can be implemented. “Be the change you want to see in the world.”   From all of this, I have hope. Perhaps it comes from seeing so many young people organizing and engaging in peaceful protests. Young people have always been at the forefront of change. They personify Martin Luther King’s words “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Today, thousands are rightfully marching and asking for a more loving and equitable America that must immediately reform its social justice institutions. And we must be a part of this change.   As always, it is an honor to work with all of you. We at the National Office hear you and encourage your engagement and voice. We have all been given this opportunity to lead and defend the potential of all youth, and to stand against racism, bigotry and prejudice to help make our country a place where there truly is liberty and justice for all.   Onward,     Pam Iorio President and CEO Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Earlier today, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in response to recent events regarding violence against Black Americans, has joined America’s Promise Alliance to unite and call out injustices and the impacts systemic racism and trauma have on young people. The statement is available here – https://www.americaspromise.org/press-release/racial-trauma-and-young-people-why-we-cant-stay-silent

When your mission is to ignite the power and promise of all youth, it is impossible to stand by when appalling acts threaten that promise.

We live in a country torn by our differences.

Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks to bring people together, to value each person and see differences as strengths that make each of us unique.

We live in a country where race and ethnicity have created systemic obstacles for people of color.

Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks to remove obstacles for all young people by connecting them with a mentor, a caring adult who can be in their corner.

We live in a country where intolerable acts by people in authority undermine our fragile social fabric.

Big Brothers Big Sisters seeks to build bridges of understanding. Our Bigs in Blue program seeks to create meaningful relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Where we see wrong, we must call it out.

Big Brothers Big Sisters will continue to promote love and the value and dignity of every single person.

It is the only way to bring about peaceful, systemic change.

Pam Iorio, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President and CEO

With this generous funding from the SNF, BBBSA will make unrestricted grants to fifteen Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies throughout the United States. Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies are innovating and adapting our service delivery to ensure kids stay virtually connected to their mentors during this time of physical distancing. Trusted in communities nationwide, our local leaders are on the frontlines, staying in touch with the families of our mentees, connecting them to resources in their communities, and even delivering food. These funds will assist each agency as they face revenue shortfalls due to the pandemic. Funding will be used to continue serving youth and their families during this period of social isolation and economic distress. Read full press release here:

Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) continues pandemic relief efforts with new grants totaling over $27.7 million

Part of the Foundation’s $100 million global COVID-19 relief initiative, grants focus on U.S. community response and health care in Europe and Africa.

May 28, 2020 – The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) has announced the second round of grants in its $100 million global relief initiative to help alleviate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-five grants totaling more than $27 million focus on responding to urgent community needs across the United States, including food aid, essential services, educational opportunities for young people, and the arts; increasing Greece’s intensive care facilities and COVID-19 testing capacity; and strengthening key health-care services in Europe and Africa.

“This crisis has shown us that people all around the world are bound together by the same threats and challenges,” said SNF Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos. “But it has shown that, if we choose, we can also be bound together by the good we are able to do with, and for, one another. These organizations are providing vital services to meet the immediate needs of the most vulnerable in communities around the globe, and SNF is deeply grateful for their work and for the opportunity to be of help.” Mr. Dracopoulos added, “I would also like to thank our late founder and my great uncle Stavros Niarchos. Without him there would be no SNF—his foresight in endowing SNF has enabled the Foundation to continue to contribute for a better tomorrow.”

United States

Supporting Local Communities

Confronting a crisis that affects every sphere of life but with unequal impacts requires a perspective that is at once holistic and granular. Community foundations and community-based organizations are uniquely positioned to implement a coordinated, comprehensive response that meets the particular needs developing across their region in real time. SNF grants totaling more than $2 million support organizations in the regions of Bangor, Detroit, New Orleans, New York, and San Antonio that are pooling resources to most effectively serve local families in need.

“We are grateful for the generous investment and partnership from SNF to help improve food security in Southeast Louisiana during COVID-19,” said Andy Kopplin, President and CEO of the Greater New Orleans Foundation. “As this crisis has extended over two months, our nonprofits on the front lines have experienced shortages of funds, food, and volunteers. This increased support will help our foundation strengthen their capacity and help them provide greater food security to our most vulnerable communities.”

• United Way for Southeastern Michigan, Detroit: Shoring up budgets of nonprofits as they meet new demand, supporting organizations that provide childcare to essential workers and engage students at home, and making emergency relief microgrants to individual households
• Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, Detroit: Helping local food pantries combat food insecurity while implementing distribution systems that keep the community safe
• Greater New Orleans Foundation, New Orleans: Supporting organizations serving seniors requiring urgent care, people experiencing homelessness, low-wage workers in need of essential goods, and the African American communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic
• San Antonio Food Bank, San Antonio: Meeting an exceptional level of food need across a wide area of southwestern Texas, serving tens of thousands of additional people each week
• Bangor Region YMCA, Bangor: Providing childcare and meals for the children of essential workers in Maine, totaling over 200 visits per week
• New York Community Trust, New York City: Giving nonprofits in the social services and cultural sectors the tools and resources they need to keep delivering essential services to some of the city’s most vulnerable populations

“Our philanthropic partners have rushed to help the nonprofits that form a safety net for our most vulnerable,” said Lorie Slutsky, President of the New York Community Trust. “As tough as this public health crisis has been, the altruism of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation is a welcome reminder that the city will get through this and emerge even stronger.”

Supportive Networks for Young People and the Arts

One potentially devastating and long-lasting effect of the pandemic stems from the lost educational and developmental opportunities for young people, opportunities that if missed are extremely challenging to recover. SNF grants totaling over $1.6 million aim to help kids—and adults—stay engaged in their own academic, personal, and creative growth.

A $1 million grant will help the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBS) national office and fifteen key local agencies across the United States continue to offer young people adult mentorship to help them reach their potential. The grant will help BBBS agencies that together serve almost 10,000 children a year in Cincinnati, Birmingham, Southeast Florida, East Tennessee, Southwest Michigan, and elsewhere innovate and adapt to ensure kids stay virtually connected to their mentors during this time of physical distancing. Trusted in communities nationwide, BBBS local leaders often serve as a crucial conduit between the families of mentees and other essential resources in their communities.

Remarked Pam Iorio, President and CEO Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, “Throughout the pandemic, Big Brothers Big Sisters staff members and volunteer mentors have stepped up to serve our young people and their families during this period of social isolation and economic distress. Through our evidence-based work, we know consistent, positive social and emotional connection, support, and stability for our young people will be central to our recovery as a nation. This generous grant to the BBBS COVID-19 Response Fund from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, and their commitment to address the pandemic’s many dimensions, will help BBBS agencies strengthen and continue their one-to-one mentoring through virtual means, providing young people with the critical support they need, and help our families stay connected to available resources in their communities.”

Additional grants will provide much-needed mentoring support to young people and help maintain community networks.

• Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, New York City: Providing direct assistance as well as academic, personal, and technical assistance to families adapting to distance learning to help nearly 2,000 students focus on academics
• Summer Search, New York City: Supporting hundreds of high school students with full-time mentors as they navigate the academic and personal dimensions of the crisis
• BRIC, New York City: Providing enriching online artistic content and support to Brooklyn’s vibrant artistic community

Food and Essential Social Services

The first round of grants in SNF’s pandemic relief initiative put a strong emphasis on helping meet immediate needs for food and other essentials, and these needs are only becoming more entrenched. SNF grants of $755,000 will help nonprofit organizations in the New York City area meet emergency needs for food, mental health support, and other essential goods and services.

• Make the Road New York, New York City: Providing direct cash assistance to thousands of households among the most precarious before the crisis, including in the NYC communities at the epicenter of the epicenter
• Henry Street Settlement, New York City: Providing 14,000 meals a week, a helpline, emergency cash assistance, and mental health services on Manhattan’s Lower East Side
• Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, New York City: Assisting 10,000 older adults, dozens of people in a mental health shelter and supportive housing, and scores of low-income families on the East Side of Manhattan
• Nazareth Housing, New York City: Serving more than 200 families through food pantries in the Central Bronx and on Manhattan’s Lower East Side and offering supportive housing and an emergency family shelter
• St. Joseph Social Service Center, Elizabeth: Serving 800 New Jersey families through their food pantry, double the number since before the crisis
• RISE Rockaway Initiative for Sustainability and Equity, New York City: Providing fresh produce to 100 families in NYC’s Rockaway Peninsula through free weekly farm shares
• University Settlement, New York City: Delivering 4,000 meals a week to homebound seniors and providing mental health support to 800 young people and adults on Manhattan’s Lower East Side

Europe

Collaborating with the Greek Government to Strengthen Health Care for Today and the Future

While Greece has so far escaped the devastating level of COVID-19 infection experienced by other Southern European countries, it is working to prepare for whatever might come next, including a possible future second wave.

A more than $17.8 million grant from SNF will support ICU construction and renovation, as well as professional training. The initiative will include construction or renovation of facilities in 19 hospitals around Greece to accommodate the addition of 177 intensive care and 46 high-dependency beds.  

Working closely with the Greek government to tap into the power of public-private partnership, as it has in its more than $400 million Health Initiative, SNF seeks to help buttress the Greek health system’s preparedness to serve the public in emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic. The new facilities will be equipped by the Greek state and other private donors.

While facilities are crucial, the past months have also heightened the need for state-of-the-art medical training. SNF will also support a five-year training program for doctor and nurses working in ICUs. Following SNF’s five-year grant, the training program will be continued by the Greek state.

What the coming months hold depends on our ability to understand, test for, and treat COVID-19. SNF is making a more than $4 million grant to significantly bolster Greek health services’ ability to test widely for COVID-19 and consequently implement data-based measures to contain the virus. This grant builds on a $3 million grant made last month for Johns Hopkins University’s Testing Insights Initiative to provide governments, businesses, and the public with the information needed to make crucial decisions moving forward.

The new grant will provide two molecular testing systems and 240,000 units of reagent, aiming to significantly increase Greece’s daily testing capacity. One of these new systems will be placed at the Hellenic National Blood Transfusion Center (EKEA) in Athens, where the majority of current testing is taking place, and the other will go to the Blood Center at AHEPA Hospital in Thessaloniki.

On the collaboration with SNF, the President of the National Central Procurement Authority of the Ministry of Health, Marios Themistocleous, said, “In this difficult, unprecedented time for our country, as at other times in Greece’s history, great benefactors have stepped up, supporting the state when times were hard. On behalf of the Greek government, I would like to extend a huge thank you to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation and to the Co-President of the Foundation, Mr. Andreas Dracopoulos, and to mention that this exceptional effort builds on SNF’s major Health Initiative. Since long before the coronavirus crisis, we have moved forward collaboratively; we draw strength from each other and we have built an excellent cooperative relationship.”

On the ongoing collaborations with the Ministry of Health, SNF Major Grants Manager John Zervakis remarked, “It is clear that in order to effectively deal with the global health crisis, what is needed, more than ever, is cooperation between the private sector and government agencies. Together, we are stronger and can provide support for those who are fighting the pandemic on a daily basis and, above all, fortify ourselves against a potential new wave. The excellent cooperation with the relevant state bodies—not only now, but also during joint implementation of the Health Initiative over the last three years—further motivates us at SNF to try, to the best of our means, to help protect, strengthen, and upgrade the country’s health system.”

Emergency Health Support in Spain

Three SNF grants totaling $980,000 will support nonprofit organizations in Spain in caring for some of the very most vulnerable: people experiencing homelessness, migrants, sex workers, and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

• Doctors of the World Spain: Providing preventative support, hygiene kits, food and other essentials, and COVID-19 testing when necessary to 39,000 of those living most precariously in Spain
• Plena Inclusion: Helping meet emergency needs arising from the crisis for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
• Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona: Creating a data- and biobank open to all researchers providing data and research to understand the presentation and transmission of COVID-19 in children and pregnant women, as well as a public-facing, multilingual informational site

Dr. Manel del Castillo Rey, CEO of Sant Joan de Déu noted, “The absence of reliable scientific data on how COVID-19 affects children and pregnant women has hampered development of potentially lifesaving knowledge for all of us. This grant will enable researchers worldwide to better understand the disease, establishing the basis for susceptibility and, consequently, prospective treatments.”

Africa

Essential Health Resources

Through three grants totaling more than $387,000, SNF will seek to reinforce strained health resources in countries with high disease burdens and low numbers of medical professionals per capita. These grants will provide critical protective gear and supplies as well as infection-control support.

• Alliance for International Medical Action, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Senegal: Strenghtening infection control measures in 400 health centers and 35 hospitals, adding 1,000 beds for COVID-19 patients
• Mothers2Mothers, Angola, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia: Adapting work with people living with HIV to respond to COVID-19, including by equipping frontline staff and implementing an online mentor platform
• Amref Health Africa, Uganda: Working to limit the incidence of COVID-19 among more than 100,000 refugees in Northern Uganda and host communities

These new grants are in addition to over $31 million already allocated to some of the world’s hardest-hit areas in the first round of SNF’s $100 million global pandemic relief initiative. To date, SNF has allocated $59 million of those funds. Subsequent grants will place particular emphasis on ameliorating emerging and long-term socioeconomic and educational impacts of the pandemic. Previously announced grantees include The Rockefeller University, the Robin Hood Foundation, City Harvest, the Fund for Public Health in New York City, the French Red Cross, the Barça Foundation, Boroume, CRESCER, Fondazione Progetto Arca, and many others.

About the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF)

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is one of the world’s leading private, international philanthropic organizations, making grants to nonprofit organizations in the areas of arts and culture, education, health and sports and social welfare. SNF funds organizations and projects worldwide that aim to achieve a broad, lasting, and positive impact for society at large and exhibit strong leadership and sound management. The Foundation also supports projects that facilitate the formation of public-private partnerships as an effective means for serving public welfare.

Since 1996, the Foundation has committed more than $3 billion through more than 4,600 grants to nonprofit organizations in 126 nations around the world.

See more at SNF.org.

Tyson Foods and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America team up to support and connect young people in rural America

More important than ever, a new video showcases the integral role Tyson Foods is playing to keep kids in rural communities connected to positive, caring mentors.

May 26, 2020 – Today Tyson Foods and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America are launching a new video that showcases the commitment and collaborative effort from both organizations to support youth in rural communities. The video highlights the importance of one-on-one mentoring relationships that benefit young people—and their families—in communities where Tyson Foods operates. 

Over the past two years, funding from Tyson Foods has enabled staff at Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies in more than 30 markets to attend the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America National Conference, and participate in intensive training courses that aim to grow the number of youth served in one-to-one mentoring relationships. Thanks to the support of Tyson Foods, local Big Brothers Big Sisters staff members could choose from more than 60 workshops and general sessions on topics such as professional development, diversity/equity/inclusion (DEI), improving program quality, volunteer recruitment, fundraising and board development.

After two years, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies that have received funding from Tyson Foods have collectively experienced a 50% increase in the number of new mentoring relationships created between a young person (“Little”) and a caring adult role model (“Big”).

“We know there is a direct correlation between investing in staff training and development and longer, stronger Big and Little match relationships,” said Pam Iorio, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “The opportunity to attend the national conference and learn from agency leaders and experts from across the country means staff can provide an elevated level of support to our Bigs and Littles, which leads to higher outcomes with each mentoring relationship.” – Pam Iorio, President and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

“We’re proud to support Big Brothers Big Sisters and the important role they play in communities where we live and work,” said Garrett Dolan, senior manager, corporate social responsibility, Tyson Foods. “By investing in the professional development of BBBS staff and encouraging our team members to participate in mentoring programs, we hope to have an even greater impact on the most vulnerable youth in our communities.”

There are 240 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies serving more than 5,000 communities across all 50 states. 70% of Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies serve rural communities. On average, each Big Brothers Big Sisters agency that is serving a rural community has a waiting list of 40 or more young people waiting to be matched with a volunteer mentor.  In 2018, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America launched the Rural Initiative. The Initiative seeks new supporters and partners to help Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies serving rural areas grow their organizational capacity to serve more youth. The Big Brothers Big Sisters Rural Initiative connects resources from national and global corporations to agencies servingsmall and underserved communities. These connections are critical to ensure Big Brothers Big Sisters offices that serve rural communities can thrive and serve more children. 

Using definitions established by USDA’s Community Facilities programs and the Rural Housing program, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America classifies its agencies as rural if the population size of the agency’s primary service area is 20,000 or less. By this definition, more than 70% of our local agencies are in or seek to help rural youth access one-to-one mentoring services.

While all Big Brothers Big Sisters services are free to the families we serve, there is a cost for our agencies to provide professional support for mentoring relationships, including costs for volunteer recruitment, interviewing the volunteer, checking references, enrolling the Little, creating an optimal match based on personality and interests, and supporting the match by connecting the Little, the Big, and the parent on a consistent basis. The generous support of rural initiative partners, like Tyson Foods, empowers Big Brothers Big Sisters to pair more young people with a positive, caring adult role model through life changing one-to-one mentoring relationships.

About Tyson Foods

Tyson Foods, Inc. is one of the world’s largest food companies and a recognized leader in protein. Founded in 1935 by John W. Tyson and grown under three generations of family leadership, the company has a broad portfolio of products and brands like Tyson®, Jimmy Dean®, Hillshire Farm®, Ball Park®, Wright®, Aidells®, ibp® and State Fair®. Tyson Foods innovates continually to make protein more sustainable, tailor food for everywhere it’s available and raise the world’s expectations for how much good food can do. Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, the company has 141,000 team members. Through its Core Values, Tyson Foods strives to operate with integrity, create value for its shareholders, customers, communities and team members and serve as a steward of the animals, land and environment entrusted to it. Visit TYSONFOODS.COM. 

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Founded in 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the largest and most experienced youth mentoring organization in the United States. The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is to create and support one-to-one mentoring 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. Big Brothers Big Sisters has 240 local agencies serving more than 5,000 communities across all 50 states. For more information, visit: www.bbbs.org.  

Announcing a special opportunity for middle and high school students across Ohio!

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the Pro Football Hall of Fame will host a Virtual Strong Youth Strong Communities Youth Summit with Ohio Governor Mike DeWine on Friday, May 22, 2020, 10EST. The hour-long program will air ‘live’ on the Pro Football Hall of Fame Facebook page. Buckeye Health Plan is sponsoring the program.

What: Virtual Youth Summit
When: Friday, May 22, 2020 10amEST
Where: Pro Football Hall of Fame Facebook

MORE INFO HERE

Governor DeWine will encourage youth to demonstrate leadership in the face of challenges such as the COVID-19 crisis. He will participate in live Q & A with Cincinnati Bengals Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz. Other guests include: Hall of Famers Darrell Green and Aeneas Williams, along with former UNC Women’s basketball player, Iman McFarland. They will share real life experiences in overcoming challenges in the face of adversity. Students will have the opportunity to share comments and questions with their peers. Under State social distancing guidelines, organizers changed from a live event to a virtual format so that students would not miss out on this experience.

“The coronavirus has temporarily changed the way we live. Our efforts to keep everyone healthy and safe has meant the cancelations of traditional school celebrations and events,” said Governor DeWine “But we want to ensure students would still have the opportunity to participate in this Summit, to connect with professional athletes who can provide advice and inspiration on how to become youth leaders.”

“During this pandemic, we see the resiliency of our youth,” said Pam Iorio, President and CEO of Big Brothers. “Despite social distancing, those in our mentoring program have found ways to stay connected virtually. This Summit is a great example of how we can still connect, be stronger together and overcome challenges we may be facing.”

“Buckeye strongly supports leadership development opportunities that tie Ohio’s youth to positive role models,” said Buckeye President and CEO Steve Province. “We are pleased to be a part of this event and grateful to Governor DeWine and the Hall of Fame athletes for participating in this unique virtual Summit format.”

“Since 2017, The Pro Football Hall of Fame has partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters to bring Strong Youth Strong Communities events to communities across the country,” said David Baker, President of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. “We’re happy to bring this virtual experience to Ohio for the first time with the tremendous support of Governor DeWine. We’re also proud of our Hall of Famers Aeneas Williams, Darrell Green, Anthony Munoz and Hall of Fame Ambassador Iman McFarland along with HOF Productions who are engaging in this important work to support thousands of youth during these unprecedented times.”

NFL INSPIRE CHANGE IMPACT GROWS WITH MORE THAN $44 MILLION CONTRIBUTED TO SOCIAL JUSTICE

Since the launch of the NFL’s social justice initiative the league has contributed more than $44 million in grants to organizations across the country. This includes more than 750 grants provided by the NFL Foundation to current NFL players and NFL Legends for nonprofits of their choice. The NFL today announced two new Inspire Change grants and seven grant renewals recently approved by the NFL’s Player-Owner Social Justice Working Group.

The new and renewed grants total $3.5 million and are in addition to national grants previously awarded over the last two years. Since 2018, the NFL has provided Inspire Change grants to 20 non-profit organizations in support of programs and initiatives that reduce barriers to opportunity, with a focus on three priority areas: education and economic advancement, police and community relations, and criminal justice reform. In January the league awarded nearly $3 million in social justice grants.

Recently in partnership with the Players Coalition the NFL Player-Owner Social Justice Working Group announced a $3.05 million donation to support COVID-19 relief in predominantly African American communities as part of the league’s social justice funding.

Also included in the $44 million total social justice contribution are this year’s club-player matching social justice funds. Adopted in 2018 by all 32 NFL clubs, this initiative encourages clubs to match the contributions of their players and work collaboratively to support local social justice organizations.  

“The work of our Inspire Change grant partners has a tremendous impact on communities across the country,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Each of these organizations has worked to reduce barriers to opportunity and has provided resources that meet the needs of the communities they serve. We are proud to assist with their respective efforts to a more equal and just tomorrow.”

New Grant Recipients

New social justice grant recipients Council on Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO, Inc.) and Success For All will both utilize Inspire Change funding for educational advancement. CLEO, Inc., focuses on inspiring, motivating, and preparing students from underrepresented communities to succeed in law school and beyond. Success For All’s dollars will support programs to improve education for at-risk students through The Getting Along Together Program and professional development support for 12 schools in Nashville, Tennessee, serving approximately 6000 students.

Grant Renewals

The Inspire Change grant has helped the Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) further its Hope and Redemption Team, a group of former life prisoners who go back into eight California state prisons to provide on-going programming, rehabilitative services, and reentry support to incarcerated individuals. This team helps 3000 people annually create successful reentry plans and with 2020 funding, ARC will expand its services to youth inside Division of Juvenile Justice Facilities in California. Funding has also supported ARC’S wraparound services, including case management, mental health resources, and mentorship opportunities to improve the well-being of its members. ARC also works to advance policies that reduce youth contact with the justice system and reentry outcomes for individuals returning home from incarceration.

Big Brother Big Sisters of America will continue to use its funding to help bridge the gap between police officers and the communities they serve and provide more youth with a mentor who is always in their corner. “The Big Draft”, a national recruiting campaign possible in part by Inspire Change, has raised awareness of the importance of mentorship and has encouraged hundreds of men and women to sign up to be a Big.

Inspire change helps Gideon’s Promise fund its mentorship program for the next generation of public defenders. This year’s funding will help to expand the mentorship program, supporting training and orientation for new mentors and mentees.

Inspire Change supports NAF in providing high school students of all backgrounds with life-changing opportunities that prepare them to succeed in postsecondary education and careers. With the partnership of the NFL, NAF works in six key geographies – Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit, Miami, New York City, and Washington, DC – to: collaborate with business partners to provide exclusive work-based learning, internship, and employment opportunities for high school students; create paid group internship opportunities (Future Ready Labs) that enable students to collaborate on meaningful work for businesses in their communities; and offer professional development for high school educators and school administrators, empowering them to provide students a high-quality, career-focused education.

Operation HOPE utilizes Inspire Change support to encourage economic advancement, serving 37,964 adults and 14,688 youth in 2019. In addition to other programs emphasizing financial literacy and the accessibility of financial wellness, the organization has partnered with two NFL clubs to deliver services in their respective markets. Operation Hope launched HOPE Inside Santa Clara in partnership with the San Francisco 49ers to extend financial inclusion and economic equality to historically underrepresented communities. In partnership with the Miami Dolphins, the organization has also delivered youth financial dignity programming, emphasizing not just financial literacy but inclusion in Florida.

Vera Institute of Justice has focused Inspire Change funding on the In Our Backyards and Serving Safely initiatives.  In Our Backyards works to stop the rise of incarceration in small towns and rural communities, demonstrating how the overuse of jails and prisons in our communities disproportionately and unjustly burdens the poor and communities of color. As part of this initiative, Vera organized a visit to Broome and Tompkins counties in rural New York state with Michael Thomas and Antoine Bethea from the New York Giants, the third in a series of educational collaborations,  to speak with people most impacted by jail incarceration about what would bring real safety and justice to their county. Through Serving Safely, Vera has developed and advanced research that drives a national conversation about the role of police by examining alternatives to enforcement; providing tools that empower communities; directing people to resources outside the criminal justice system; and facilitating police-community collaborations.

VOTE NOLA continues its efforts to help to educate and protect the voting rights of the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, VOTE provided 10,000 N95 masks to individuals inside Louisiana prisons and jails.

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Media Contact:

Kelsey Boyd, Kelsey.boyd@nfl.com

Testimony of Pam Iorio, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to the Presidential Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice – May 7, 2020

Chairman Keith and Commissioners, I am Pam Iorio, the president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. I appreciate this opportunity to testify before this Commission about our one-to- one mentoring model and innovative law enforcement mentoring that speaks to the Commission’s goals of reducing crime, reducing the number of youths involved in the juvenile justice system, and growing understanding and respect for law enforcement.

Since 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been using the power of one-to-one mentoring relationships to help children reach their full potential. Our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. We have been devoted to changing the life trajectories of vulnerable youth since the program was first founded as a court diversion program in New York City. We call our volunteer mentors “Bigs” and the young people they mentor, “Littles.”

In 2019, BBBSA agencies served more than 135,000 Littles across the country. Of these, 73% were eligible for free lunch; 15% had one or more parents incarcerated, and 57% were being raised in a single-parent home; 35% live with a family member experiencing mental health concerns; 26% have a family member struggling with substance abuse. Our programs are evidence-based, and our data shows that mentoring builds key social and emotional skills youth need to succeed in academics, career, and life.

The one-to-one mentoring model works and should be endorsed to prevent young people from entering the juvenile justice system.
Our one-to-one mentoring model is designed to promote emotional support, positive social skills and behaviors, feelings of safety and security, academic skills, and positive relationships with family and peers. Research on our Community-Based Mentoring Program has shown that overall, youth enrolled in Big Brothers Big Sisters programs are 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27% less likely to begin using alcohol, and 52% less likely to skip school. Over the past 10 years BBBSA has served a total of 2,689,388 youth with caring adult mentors, changing the trajectory of young people’s lives for the better funding for OJJDP mentoring programs should be expanded.

We receive yearly funding from OJJDP which is allocated to our agencies to make matches, carefully vetted and professionally supported, between adult mentors and their mentees. With this grant funding received from OJJDP, we were able to offer impactful mentoring to over 7,900 youth in the last year. When you consider the annual cost of juvenile incarceration of $35,000-$64,000 compared to Big Brothers Big Sisters annual cost of $1800 to serve each youth, the potential savings from successful mentoring is billions of dollars.

Bigs in Blue/Bigs in Badges should be a robust, national program and encouraged on the state and local level.

A few years ago, concerned about the increasing tensions in many communities between police and the communities they serve, we took a local BBBS program that connected law enforcement with young people in a one-to-one mentoring model, and scaled it nationwide. Bigs in Blue/Bigs with Badges has grown from fewer than 20 agencies to 103 agencies in 35 states across the country. Mentors come from the ranks of the local police and sheriff departments to the FBI, Highway Patrol, and other law enforcement entities and court officials.

If the only time a child sees a law enforcement officer in their community is to make an arrest of a neighbor or family member, there begins a lifetime of distrust. But when a police officer becomes a Big Brother or Sister to a young person, taking an interest in his or her life and future, the attitude can change. We have seen so many instances of real friendships forming, not just with the young person, but with entire families.

In my former life as Mayor of the City of Tampa, our Police Chief at the time, Chief Hogue, was a Big Brother. His Little Brother was nine years old and lived in one of the most economically challenged communities in the city. One day, when talking about career choices, the Chief gave his Little his Chief’s cap to keep. The Little’s mother called the Chief to tell him that every night her son slept next to the Chief’s cap and now wanted to be a police officer.

In Florida, Attorney General Ashley Moody is a strong supporter of Bigs in Blue and has formally asked all statewide law enforcement officials to become mentors. That kind of leadership, if multiplied across the country, could make a significant difference in our police/community relations.

Virtual mentoring initiatives should be encouraged and supported during this pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic is changing so many aspects of our lives. Our organization is all about the strength of each relationship, and the many activities our matches enjoy. Social distancing is making it difficult for our Bigs and Littles to be together. But it has not stopped the creativity and innovative spirit of the BBBS Federation.

The National Office is currently building an e-mentoring platform to be integrated into our national database that tracks the progress of each match. This will be done in mid-June and will open many more possibilities for Bigs and Littles to engage virtually. Making new matches, and keeping current matches together, and doing so in a safe, virtual environment, takes expertise and skill. BBBSA has been a leader in the industry in providing safe, effective mentoring programming through our affiliate network, partnering closely with organizations like the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to address evolving technology-based safety risks to children and youth.

Commissioners, I thank you for the time and the interest you are demonstrating by serving on this important Commission and listening to this and other testimony.

Recommendations:

1. The one-to-one mentoring model works and should be endorsed to prevent young people from entering the juvenile justice system.
2. Funding for OJJDP mentoring programs should be expanded.
3. Bigs in Blue/Bigs in Badges should be a robust, national program and encouraged on the state and local level.
4. Virtual mentoring initiatives should be encouraged and supported during this pandemic.

All of us have the capacity to ignite and defend the potential of young people. It is a privilege for me to represent an organization that reflects this can-do spirit of America, and to see the positive results. We can do more. Each year we have tens of thousands of young people on our waiting lists at agencies throughout the county, hoping to be matched with a Big Brother or a Big Sister. As you continue your worthwhile work, which will undoubtably result in positive changes, I hope you will include the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters as part of the solution.

Thank you.