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In honor of International Mentoring Month Comcast released an article about mentorship and the great impact it can have on communities. Scroll down to read the article or click here.

Once a month, Comcast employee Steven Greene gets in his car and drives two hours to have lunch with 16-year-old Micah, a student he mentors at our company’s Jacksonville, Fla. regional office. He doesn’t mind the drive, and December’s meeting was especially worth it – he got to witness Micah’s big smile when he was gifted a free iPad. “Surprises like this are what make the commitment even more special,” Steven said.

In fact, Micah was one of 26 high school students that day to receive free iPads from Comcast NBCUniversal as part of our Beyond School Walls program, run in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters. The program enables employee “Bigs” to provide student “Littles” with one-to-one mentoring at Comcast offices – where the students also get to experience a professional working environment. The iPads are part of Comcast’s larger focus on closing the digital divide. We believe that success starts with opportunity, and in today’s digital world, we are working to provide everyone, regardless of income, with equal access to technology and the chance to gain vital digital skills.

“Mentoring has a deeper purpose for me,” said Steven, who grew up in a low-income neighborhood himself and now helps to improve operational efficiencies as part of Comcast’s Vendor Management team.  One of his high school teachers, he said, pushed him to take honors classes – support that changed the trajectory of his life. “I can give counsel and advice, but just being able to relate to someone and say, ‘I understand where you are coming from’ makes the relationship so unique and special.”

The pair plan to do a series of digital literacy activities during Beyond School Walls over the next few months. Michael told Steven he can use his iPad whenever they meet and at home to build a foundation for his future – hopefully working in real estate to support his dream of writing comic books.

In total this year, more than 300 “Littles” across 14 Comcast locations received iPads that they might not have been able to otherwise afford. They’ll gain increased access to tech at home and more opportunities to learn digital skills, as well as a chance to explore their own creativity.

According to the Pew Research Center 35 percent of teens say they often or sometimes have to do their homework on their cellphone. This is more prevalent among lower-income teens, including 45 percent who live in households earning less than $30,000 a year.

Activities that our Beyond School Walls matches across the country are working on include:

• Learning iPad basics from an IT employee including how to create an email and download apps
• Playing Google Interland, a game designed to teach Internet safety topics such as phishing, harassment and passwords through puzzles, challenges and quizzes
• Bringing the iPads on field trips and taking pictures to be historians for the group
• Discussing examples of a range of personalities on social media and who is a “friend” or “foe”
• Exploring how to use LinkedIn with insight from HR employees, and more

More than 1,200 Comcast NBCUniversal employees have participated in the Beyond School Walls program since its inception more than 10 years ago at our Philadelphia headquarters. For the school children enrolled in Beyond School Walls, being matched with a “Big” introduces them to brighter futures, careers and possibilities. And employees report that the relationship positively impacts their own lives as well – citing the program as one of the top reasons they love coming to work.

“You learn a lot about our youth and how advanced they are, and you learn a lot about yourself,” Steven says. “It makes me appreciate what I have and makes me want to give back more when I see the benefit – if I could have more than one Little I would!”

A Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Tennessee match was recently featured on ‘Humans of New York’! Big Brother Adam and Little Brother Brandon each share their match story below.

“I’d just started grad school in Tennessee. I was a little lonely, so I might have been looking for some familial bonds. But I actually got the idea from an episode of West Wing. One of the main characters was a Big Brother. So I did a quick Google search, and found that the East Tennessee chapter was one of the strongest in the country. What really prompted me to join was learning that the little brother list is much longer than the little sister list. The organization gave me a personality test, and I got matched with Brandon. He was extremely shy. I had no idea what to do. In the beginning there was a lot of silence. And whenever he did talk, I’d just say: ‘I get that, I get that.’ After a few days of that, he told me: ‘Thanks for trying to get me.’ Soon Brandon became my best friend in Knoxville. And I think I shared that title for a little while– until he got older and met more friends. Food was a big part of our friendship. We always went to Shoney’s. I still have a picture of the first time we went. He filled half his plate with red jello, and the other half with chicken nuggets. I focused a lot on his academics. I’m a big school nerd, so that was my comfort zone. We did a lot of homework together. I wasn’t aiming for him to get A’s. I was just aiming for a feeling of progress. His improvement at school was huge. He even got ‘The Turnaround Award’ in 8th Grade. That was such a big moment for both of us. We’ve come a long way since then. Now we’re looking for the right college.”

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“I’d just turned twelve. I think Dad realized that I needed somebody in my life. He was working two jobs so I never had anyone to talk to. Mom wasn’t around. Middle school was a complete disaster. I had no friends and was getting bullied tons. Then one day I came home from school, and Dad was home—which was shocking, because he normally worked until 9 pm. And he introduced me to this guy. I had no clue who he was. He said his name was Adam, and that he was my ‘Big Brother,’ and he was going to help me. But I had no clue what that meant. I just thought it was a friend of my dad’s or something. We were only supposed to meet two times a month. But it ended up being more like three times a week. He helped me study. I could call him whenever I felt sad. And he helped me with my anger outbursts. Whenever I was having a bad day, we’d go to a bridge near his house and throw a bunch of rocks in the creek. He helped me so much over the years. Even after he moved to New York, I was able to do the last two years of high school by myself. He promised me that if I graduated with all B’s, he’d fly me up to New York for a visit. Well I did better than that. I graduated with all A’s and B’s.”

Click here to read these stories on the Humans of New York Facebook page.

Big Brothers Big Sisters defends, inspires and ignites the potential of youth every day. But for every child who has been paired with a caring adult mentor, there are those still waiting their turn: 30,000 children across the country, in communities like yours, have raised their hand to say they want a Big. Join Big Brothers Big Sisters and be a part of a one-to-one revolution to change two lives.

If you have a passion to help kids, consider becoming a Big today! Just a few hours a month can make an impact on the life of a child—and the experience will make an impact on you, as a volunteer, too. Share this video on your social media platforms to encourage others to be a Big. Simply click here, type in your zip code and we’ll connect you with the Big Brothers Big Sisters agency in your neighborhood.

It’s time. Become a Big today.

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Sera Hill, an employee with Starbucks, and her little sister Seanna have been matched for over 3 years now in the community-based mentoring program at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound.

Seanna is 13 years old. Sera and Seanna like to get out and about and do active things, they both love animals as well. In Seattle to visit museums, participate in pottery activities, go to the movies and participate in other programs through the Y. They really hit it off from the beginning and quickly established a bond.

In addition to Sera being a community-based Big Sister, she has also helped the BBBS agency to coordinator career days for their MentorU program, an online based mentoring initiative.  Sera has helped set up activities so other students can see behind the scenes and learn about different careers within Starbucks.

In a recent visit to Starbucks HQ on “Take Your Kid to Work Day”, Seanna and Sera enjoyed the behind the scene tours and connection with other co-workers and visiting youth.  Before the visit, Seanna wanted to pursue being a nurse, but was inspired by the Tryer Innovation Lab and left her experience at Starbucks wanting to pursue a future in graphic design. 

Sera is thrilled at this friendship and how it is changing them both.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and the Starbucks Foundation are uniting this holiday season to support matches all across the county like Sera and Seanna.  When you donate to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America between December 1-31, 2019, The Starbucks Foundation will double your gift, matching up to $200,000 this Giving Season.

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 Justice Programs Katharine Sullivan visited Tampa, FL to announce the $10.75M in funding to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. This will impact 95 agencies across 42 states. Many of those Big/Little matches are part of the Bigs in Blue program, which started in 2016 as a national initiative to help break down barriers and build relationships between officers and the communities they serve.  

Tampa Police Officer Joel McKee meets with his Little Brother, 10-year-old Princeton at Pizzo Elementary School. Officer McKee says it’s the highlight of his week—during their time together, it’s not police officer/student, but a chance for him to just be ‘Joel’. “We are proud and privileged to receive these funds, “ said Pam Iorio, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “With these mentoring dollars, we expect to serve at least 6,000 Big/Little matches. When we make a match, they tend to last at least 30 months. But we know from experience, these matches can last a lifetime.”

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.

Jenkins and McLeod also lended their support and influence to help create a national partnership the National Football League and the Players’ Coalition who launched the Inspire Change campaign in early 2019.  Inspire Change focuses on three main areas: education and economic advancement, police and community relations and criminal justice reform. The Inpsire Change grant funding will allow BBBS agencies to create more strong mentoring relationships.

This back-to-school season, Horizon Organic is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters to further our organization’s mission to help children realize their potential and confidently build their futures through one-to-one mentoring.

Horizon Organic recognizes the unlimited potential inside every child and is asking you to use the world as your stage and take to Instagram or Facebook to show your #HorizonConfiDANCE. More than 8 million kids in the US don’t have a supportive, sustained relationship with a caring adult mentor, which is why Horizon is proud to support Big Brothers Big Sisters and their continued efforts to build confidence through mentorship. According to the Big Brothers Big Sisters 2017 Youth Outcomes Survey, 92% of Littles are more confident in school after one year of mentorship with a Big.

Horizon wants to power up passions that will lead to something stronger than bones: self-confidence! We want to celebrate passions leading to confiDANCES during this back-to-school season. You can show us your confiDANCE in any way that celebrates you! Anything can be a dance move if it shows your confidence!  Whether you scored the game-winning goal, snagged that A+ on your paper or got a delicious dinner on the table by 6pm – it’s all something to celebrate!

Horizon invites you to join in its support of Big Brothers Big Sisters, furthering the organization’s mission to help children realize their potential and confidently build their futures through one-to-one mentoring.  For every dance shared on Facebook or Instagram, Horizon Organic will donate $5 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, up to $200K. Just use #HorizonConfiDANCE.  

Click here, to learn more.

In Comcast’s latest Annual Report, they highlighted their partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters and shared the story of Big Brother John and Little Brother Alize.

John and Alize were matched ten years ago as a part of the inaugural “Beyond School Walls” program at Comcast. A decade later, their match is still going strong.

“I looked forward to coming to the building,” Alize says. “Growing up in the neighborhood that I grew up in, a lot of kids didn’t have that opportunity to get out the way I did. If I didn’t have that positive influence that I got from John, I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I was able to encounter now.”

The feature went on to talk about how the Beyond School Walls program “has expanded across 15 Comcast NBCUniversal locations — and changed more than 2,300 lives, both “Little” and “Big.””

“The partnership between Big Brothers Big Sisters and Comcast is probably one of the strongest partnerships in the country,” Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President and CEO Pam Iorio says. “They have been supportive of mentoring at all different levels and really started this whole Beyond School Walls concept of workplace mentoring.”

Click here, to read the full feature.

As a part of their new “Inspire Change” campaign, the NFL invited Big Brothers Big Sisters to be a part of their Annual Meeting. Big Brother Chris and Little Brother Tyrese, a “Bigs in Blue” match from BBBS of Miami, traveled from Miami to Arizona to tell their story. Off stage, they were star-struck as they met players, coaches, owners, and legends. On stage, they brought those same stars to tears.

Before going on stage, Tyrese got to meet BBBSA champion and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell is a former national board member of BBBSA and currently serves on the board of BBBS of NYC. He and Tyrese hugged and posed for a picture — “practicing for Draft Day,” Tyrese said.

Big Brother Chris and Little Brother Tyrese told the crowd that their match was a perfect fit, though it might not have seemed that way at the start.

Big Brother Chris, a detective with the Miami Beach Police Department, had lost his son when he was just weeks away from high school graduation. He suffered a sudden heart attack, a result of an undiagnosed heart condition, and he died weeks later.

“To lose anyone is painful,” Chris told the audience, “but losing a child truly left a hole in my heart.”

Tyrese had suffered his own loss before moving to Miami. His cousin had been killed by police in a gang-related incident.

“When I first came to Miami from New York City, I didn’t exactly trust the police,” Tyrese said. “To be honest, no one in my neighborhood really did.”

When Chris opened up to Tyrese about losing his son, Tyrese began to see Chris as a person, not just a uniform.

“It was these losses that bound us together and made us a team,” Chris says.

Together, they worked on Tyrese’s grades, bringing them from almost failing to honor roll. Tyrese says that through his relationship with Chris, he has also developed respect for not only police but also teachers, coaches, and his mom.

Through Big Brother Big Sisters, Chris says that he—and his fellow officers—have also been building respect and relationships in their community and with their Littles.

Creating long-term relationships that help youth reach their full potential and strengthen communities is what Inspire Change is all about.

“I’m happy my Big Brother Chris has stuck by side this whole time, and when I’m off playing on Sundays with you all, he’ll still be right there by my side,” Tyrese said.

The moment was met by hug from his Big Brother and a thunderous applause from the crowd.

Afterwards, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald introduced Chris and Tyrese to the media, where they answered questions, just like real NFL players after games.

Big Brother Chris and Little Brother Tyrese spent the rest of their time at the NFL Annual Meeting getting advice from other NFL stars and personalities, like Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson and his wife, Ciara; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones; and Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll. Carroll told Tyrese to work hard and keep his head on straight. With a Big Brother like Chris, that shouldn’t be a problem.

Today, Big Brother Chris and Little Brother Tyrese shared their match story at the @NFL Annual Meeting. More matches like theirs will be possible thanks to the NFL's new “Inspire Change” campaign. pic.twitter.com/egavEu4Y3h

— BBBS (@BBBSA) March 25, 2019

The month associated with the famous saying, “It’s gonna be May!” is finally here. With school wrapping up, summer looming, and the days getting longer, the month of May is a great month to make lasting memories with your Little. Here are 10 #LittleSuggestions for May.

1. Experience a Lantern Festival

Lantern festivals are being held all over the world. See if one is happening near you and experience the lights with your Little.

2. Celebrate Comcast Cares Day

Now in its 18th year, Comcast Cares Day is one of the largest corporate commitments to volunteerism and service in America. Find an event near you and give back to your community with your Little.

3. Watch the Kentucky Derby or Go Horseback Riding

The Kentucky Derby, called “the most exciting two minutes in sports,” takes place on the first Saturday in May. Watching the event or going horseback riding are great activities to experience with your Little.

4. Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo can be a great way to celebrate and learn about Mexican culture with your Little. Try attending a local festival or enjoying Mexican cuisine.

5. Help your Little Celebrate Mother’s Day

For Mother’s Day, help your crafty Little make an arts-and-craft gift or help your foodie Little bake something for their mother or mother figure.

6. Ride Bikes for National Bike Month

May is National Bike Month. Spend an afternoon riding bikes through your city or on a trail with your Little.

7. Go Go-Karting

Find out who’s fastest on the track by spending an afternoon go-karting with your Little.

8. Celebrate End of School

In many areas, the school year ends in May. Celebrate with your Little over dinner or ice cream. Ask what their big takeaways from the year were and start building excitement for the summer.

9. Celebrate Memorial Day

Attending a parade, visiting a museum, or going to a memorial site are all great ways to spend Memorial Day with your Little.

10. Visit a Garden

Flowers will be in full bloom in May. Visit a botanical garden or start a small one of your own with your Little.