Posts

At 11, Little Brother Darius already has college plans. He’s going to be a Vanderbilt University Commodore, like his Big Sister, Ann.

He was first introduced to Vanderbilt by going to basketball games with his Big Sister, who is a proud Vanderbilt alum. Darius’s mom says visiting the campus for charity events, basketball games, and football games has made Darius “bleed black and gold.”

When Big Sister Ann first volunteered to become a Big, she envisioned being matched with a Little Sister. But the waiting list for Big Brothers is often much longer than the waiting list for Big Sisters, so she was matched through BBBS of Middle Tennessee with a Little Brother. “The thing I admire most about Darius is his fearlessness,” she says. “He may be a little smaller than other boys his age, but the child is determined, full of self-confidence and a positive attitude.”

“I plan to grow up and be successful so that I can become a Big myself and show other kids how to enjoy life.”

– Little Brother Darius

The two have bonded over sports and adventure, and Darius says the best activity they have done together is ziplining. “We had 10 obstacles to go on, but the last one was the best, because it was the longest and highest line,” he says. It’s no wonder Big Sister Ann describes him as fearless.

A couple of years ago, Big Sister Ann enrolled Darius in a summer football camp at Vanderbilt. He was immediately at home on the college field. “When I walked him into the camp, he was greeted with high fives, fist bumps, and overwhelming welcomes from the Vandy crew who knew him from being at events,” his mom says.

At camp, Darius learned to run in cleats, throw a spiral, and catch with both hands. He says the experience empowered him to try out for the school football team.

On the last day of camp, the coaching staff gave out awards for the kids’ achievements during the week. Darius was awarded “Best Attitude.” Ann says she was prouder of that award than anything else he could have earned.

“This child who I know to be fearless, confident, and positive was being recognized for those very things by a totally impartial collegiate coaching staff,” she says. “I realized then that the most meaningful thing that I can do for Darius is to nurture those instincts.”

With a Big Sister like Ann, it won’t be long until Darius is continuing to nurture those instincts at Vanderbilt University.

When Big Brother Kevin was growing up, his father wasn’t home much. He worked 13-15 hours a day. “Not once do I remember throwing a football or baseball to him,” Kevin says. “It was like he was there, but he wasn’t there.” So Kevin relied on his uncles to be role models. Knowing that there were many boys growing up like he did, with a dad not involved or not present, he decided to become a Big Brother.

Kevin was matched with Little Brother Aden six years ago, when Aden’s mom decided to enroll her son as a Little Brother because his dad’s involvement was inconsistent at best. “I wanted Aden to have a consistent, positive role model in his life who could take him to experience new things and help improve his self-esteem,” she says.

“He helped me become the young man I am today.”

– Little Brother Aden

Together, Little Brother Aden and Big Brother Kevin have gone golfing, participated in Bowl for Kids’ Sake, and completed projects around the house. They even visited the local police department once so Aden could learn what it would be like to be a police officer. In college, he hopes to study criminal justice.

Kevin’s goal with Aden is always to plan activities that help him gain confidence and self-respect. “The activities Aden and I do are infused with lessons to ensure he’s developing into a young man who understands his potential is unlimited,” Kevin says.

In the middle of last season, Little Brother Aden’s basketball coach quit the team. Without a coach, they wouldn’t be able to play the rest of the season, so Big Brother Kevin stepped up and became the new coach.

He had always been at every game, and as coach he was now at every practice, showing his Little Brother what it meant to follow through on a commitment. “I make this commitment to him because it’s important that he knows I’m there for him,” Kevin says, “because we all benefit from having extra people in our lives who remind us that we matter.”

Little Brother Aden couldn’t agree more. “He’s helped me with lots of my problems and tells me how to deal with future ones,” he says.

Whether it’s on the court or off of it, current problems or future problems, Aden knows he always has a Big he can count on.

When Breyonne’ and her family first moved to Columbia, she felt homesick for Atlanta. Her mom enrolled her as a Little Sister thinking it could help her adjust, and that helped a lot. Breyonne’ was matched with her Big Sister Julia.

“The consistency of Julia’s relationship with Breyonne’ helped her become more acclimated to her surroundings, therefore making the transition a lot easier,” Breyonne’s mom says.

After making Columbia her home, it wasn’t before long that Breyonne’ was trying to change it for the better.

“Spending time with Julia is lots of fun because she takes me to different places and she makes sure I’m having fun.”

– Little Sister Breyonne’

In fifth grade, she noticed her route home from school was dangerous, so she tried to secure a crossing guard. “All my friends walk home from school, and I did not think it was safe,” she says. “Some have to walk over a mile home and cross busy streets.”

When Little Sister Breyonne’ decided to advocate for the school crossing guard, Big Sister Julia was there to watch her speak at the City Council meeting.

“She is a very intelligent young lady,” Julia says. “I often wonder how she knows all the things she does.”

Breyonne’s service projects didn’t stop when the crossing guard started. With her Big Sister Julia, she continued to brainstorm ideas and talk out future plans.

“She inspired me to want to help children,” Breyonne’ says, “so I decided to start Breyonne’s Act of Kindness Foundation.”

The foundation’s goal is to stock a supply closet of uniforms for kids who need them. Big Sister Julia helped recruit some of the first donors.

“Julia is supportive in all aspects of Breyonne’s life,” Breyonne’s mom says.

Now, Breyonne’ is fully adjusted to life in Columbia and she is looking forward to her future. Big Sister Julia took Breyonne’ to tour the campus of the college her son attends, which has solidified her desire to go to college. When the time comes, she will have plenty of philanthropic projects to discuss in her college essay.

Some heroes wear capes, take on crime, and protect a big city. But some wear normal clothes, take on mentorship, and do heroic work in their hometown.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and Kenneth Cole will be partnering to celebrate heroes through Kenneth Cole MANKIND HERO’s “Hometown Heroes” initiative during National Volunteer Week, April 23 – 29, 2017.

National Volunteer Week, created by Points of Light, is an opportunity to recognize volunteers who lend their time, talent, voice and support to causes they care about in their community. Kenneth Cole Fragrances, in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, will share the stories of heroic Big Brothers to inspire others and encourage everyone to take action in their community.

The inspiration behind Kenneth Cole’s MANKIND HERO fragrance is rooted in the evolution of today’s modern heroes – the courageous leaders, inspiring guides, and committed mentors. At the core of the campaign, MANKIND HERO represents the fundamental mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, reinforcing the importance of performing small acts of courage, kindness, and integrity – reminding us that everyone can be a hero to someone.

“Heroes come in many forms – those who fight to make the world a better place and those who make just one life better with their presence,” said Kenneth Cole, Chairman and CEO of Kenneth Cole Productions.

Kenneth Cole Fragrances is proud to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of America through its “Hometown Heroes” initiative in support of the mission to offer mentorship to today’s youth. For every purchase of specially-labeled limited edition Kenneth Cole MANKIND HERO 3.4 oz and 6.7 oz Eau de Toilette fragrances, $2.00 will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to support the work of local affiliates.

Big Champion Lavonte David continues to be a great ambassador for Big Brothers Big Sisters. In early March, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker went back to Nebraska (having played college football at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln) and visited BBBS of the Midlands in Omaha.

Lavonte spoke at the BBBS of the Midlands’ Man2Man Lunch, an event for Bigs and Board members to invite friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, (preferably men) to learn more about the BBBS mission and to gain a sense of what it really means to be a Big.

Lavonte told the crowd a personal story about his girlfriend, who is a Big Sister, and what it was like to meet her Little Sister for the first time. He also participated in a Q&A with a local Big Brother, a sports reporter for one of the local television stations.

“They talked about mentoring, positive influences in Lavonte’s life, college football, and professional football,” said Jim Frederick, the Director of Marketing & Recruitment at BBBS of the Midlands. “The luncheon was a great success. We have lots of interest from individuals wanting to become Bigs. We received a handful of donations and many expressed interest in participating in some of our upcoming fundraising events.”

That night, Lavonte led BBBS of the Midlands Littles and Littles on the waitlist through a mini football camp called “Football Fun with Lavonte.” In groups, Littles rotated through five stations, some run by local high school football staff and players and one run by Lavonte, who worked with kids individually at his station.

Lavonte made an instant connection with a Little Sister, who knew nothing about football at the start of the camp. He did all the warm-up drills with her and made sure to find her when her group got to his station. By the end of the camp, she was ready for the pros.

The event was a huge hit for all the Littles. Lavonte took pictures with each Little and signed shirts and footballs for them.

“We were so excited to have Lavonte visit Omaha,” Jim said. “We would love to have him back again. This guy is a home run as a Big Champion!”

When former NFL tight end Konrad Reuland died at age 29 of a brain aneurysm in December, his family knew right away that he would want them to find a way to help youth, which he cared deeply about his whole life.

Konrad was committed to mentoring and helping young people fulfill their dreams. As a high school student in California, he spent his offseason helping others train and improve. His family describes him as a true giver who impacted thousands. Fellow player Antonio Cromartie described Konrad as “A hard worker and would do everything he could for the team.”

In his honor, Konrad’s family and friends have established the Konrad A. Reuland “Little” Scholarship through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Each year, proceeds from this fund will be awarded to a Little Brother in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program who has an interest in playing football and attending college. Through this yearly scholarship, other young men will continue to be inspired by the life of this outstanding role model.

A concert can be a unique experience for matches. Big Sister Sharon, who volunteers with BBBS of Monmouth & Middlesex Counties, and Little Sister Melissa attended a concert together in February and had an unforgettable time. The two saw indie pop band Astro Lasso along with We The Kings, Cute Is What We Aim For, and Plaid Brixx.

“We were so close to the stage too – we were able to cheer and reach hands with all the bands,” Big Sister Sharon said. “Melissa and I had so fun dancing, screaming and letting loose.”

At one point, members of Plaid Brixx gifted roses to several fans, and Sharon and Melissa brought a lot of energy, hoping to be noticed. The band must have had a good eye.

“I kid you not, Melissa got one,” Sharon said. “It might have also helped I was next to her flailing my arms pointing to her to draw attention in our direction.”

The magical night started before the concert, when the two got to meet Astro Lasso and their manager Frankie Muniz (the actor who played Malcolm in Malcolm in the Middle).

The band and manager have partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters to offer Mentoring through Music Experiences for Bigs and Littles. Since mid-February, they have been touring the U.S. and inviting matches to enjoy their shows and a pre-show meet-and-greet.

“The band and Frankie were so friendly and attentive to us,” Sharon said. “Melissa was so confident and immediately started talking to Frankie all about Malcolm in the Middle and how she’s the middle kid too.”

Sharon said she enjoyed seeing her Little’s self-assurance and watching her just being herself.

Astro Lasso’s tour ended on March 27, but the band and Muniz are committed to finding more ways to work with Big Brothers Big Sisters. If you aren’t able to catch an Astro Lasso show, maybe look for tickets to see another band that you both enjoy.

Based off Big Sister Sharon’s experience, she would highly recommend it.

“It’s moments like this, when you can be a part of making someone so happy and creating one-of-a-kind memories, that remind me how rewarding and fun being a Big Sister truly is.”

More than 400 volunteers will flood the grounds of Sto-Rox High School near Pittsburgh in April to clean windows, mulch new flower beds, and plant trees. Part of Comcast Cares Day, Comcast NBCUniversal’s annual celebration of their company’s year-round commitment to service, the project will be a much-needed makeover for the school. “The high school is like a blank canvas,” says Big Brother Cory, who is leading this year’s Cares Day project.

Cory, an accounting and finance supervisor with Comcast in Pittsburgh, is a Big through Beyond School Walls, a program that matches youth with Comcast NBCUniversal employees who mentor them a couple of times a month at their workplace. He has been a Big for seven years, since the program started in his office.

His current Little Brother, Camren, is 14. They do one-on-one and group activities led by their Big Brothers Big Sisters match support specialist each week. BBBS and Comcast have brought in speakers to demonstrate new technology, like 3D printers and dimensional software, in addition to organizing games and challenges for the matches.

Every April, Comcast employees nationwide organize and participate in volunteer projects like the Sto-Rox High School project, and the Beyond School Walls Bigs and Littles are often at the center of it all. Big Brother Cory will ride around in his pickup truck, making sure the donated and discounted trees and flowers make it to the school from the landscaping companies that support Comcast Cares Day. Little Brother Camren will be his right-hand man. Cory says making their school look better is good for everyone involved, but especially kids and school staff.

“With the students and teachers, they have the same interactions just about everyday, but on this one day, they work together on something productive for the school. It gives them a break from the usual day to day,” Cory says.

This is Cory’s third year leading a project at a Comcast’s Beyond School Walls partner school to help Littles and their classmates have an improved educational environment. Comcast says that since 2001, more than 800,000 Comcast NBCUniversal employees, their friends, family members, and Comcast’s community partners have worked on more than 7,700 projects and volunteered millions of service hours. And to match the efforts of these volunteers, the Comcast Foundation has provided more than $20 million in grants to Comcast Cares Day partner organizations to have a greater impact.

Big Brother Cory says he knows every hour his team spends at Sto-Rox High School will make a big difference. “Simple things like cleaning the windows, that’s not something that happens every week or every month,” he says. “Maybe the kids don’t notice the big improvements, but it’s nice to look through a clean window.”

Cory also knows that mentoring a student like Camren will make an important impact on his success, having grown up in the same city and benefiting from mentors as he transitioned into high school.  

2017’s Comcast Cares Day is April 22. To learn more about Comcast Cares Day and Comcast NBCUniversal’s commitment to volunteerism, click here.

Leaving behind their homes, their jobs, and their support systems, many Chaldean families leave Iraq to build new lives in the United States.

Chaldeans are Christians who often experience intense persecution in Iraq. Many families settle in Michigan or San Diego, where there are large Chaldean communities. Big Brother Jason’s parents immigrated to the U.S. in the 1980s, and he grew up in a Chaldean community in San Diego.

He says that even though he was born in the United States, adapting to American culture is an everyday battle. “We’re an Eastern culture going into a Western culture, and while we do take on some Western things, there are some Eastern things we don’t let go of, and that can be hard,” he says.

A new program through Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County is focused on making that transition easier for Chaldean youth.

Almost three years ago, Bryan Bazzi, a tenant representative for the commercial real estate company CBRE, saw that youth in his community weren’t always using the resources available to them. “I spoke to friends and learned that they credit their success to positive role models,” he says. He decided to start a mentoring program for Chaldean refugee youth. He partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters and started planning.

First, Bryan had to make sure this program would work for Chaldean refugees in San Diego. He assembled an affinity group to work on raising funds and recruiting Bigs and Littles. He strategically chose the members of the affinity group to be representative of the Chaldean community and worked with political figures and religious leaders in the community to garner support.

“They understood it, they accepted it, and they said they would back it up,” Bryan says. “Once you have that kind of support, people want to know more and they want to be involved.”

Second, Bryan had to make sure parents would see the value in the program and sign their children up to be Littles. Building trust was essential, so Bryan worked with social workers who help refugee families transition to life in the U.S. These social workers connect refugee families with housing, jobs, and community services, and now that the BBBS program has started making matches, the social workers will be able to refer youth to BBBS as another community service.

The program, called “Ayana,” which means “help” in Arabic, launched in January. Jason is the Ayana program’s first Big Brother.

Jason says he feels a responsibility to help kids in his community, and to help his 15-year-old Little Brother, Yousif, see that he can succeed in America. Jason’s dad modeled hard work for Jason when he was growing up. “He had a degree where he was from, but he worked long, long hours in Detroit, picking up glass bottles outside of the liquor store and recycling them for the owner,” Jason says. Eventually, he became a salesman, and then a manager. Now, he is the general manager of a wine store.

A structural engineer in San Diego, Jason says it was the guidance of a friend who recognized his math ability and guided him into engineering. “My dad worked a lot, and he didn’t understand how it worked here, how AP classes worked, how to apply for college, how to get scholarships,” Jason says. “My friend made me aware of what’s around me and what life has to offer me.”

Now, Jason will help Little Brother Yousif with those tasks. “I feel like these kids can accomplish so much, if they have confidence in themselves, if people give them confidence.”

To kick off Bigs in Blue as a national Big Brothers Big Sisters initiative, BBBSA and BBBS Lone Star hosted a press conference in Dallas in March. Assistant Police Chief Paul Stokes, BBBS Lone Star CEO Pierce Bush, and BBBSA CEO Pam Iorio spoke about the need for Bigs in Blue in Dallas as well as the incredible response the program has already received.

BBBSA has been encouraging its affiliates to seek matching funds for grants, and the Dallas community has stepped up to do much more than match the grant awarded to Lone Star for Dallas’s Bigs in Blue program. The Crystal Charity Ball, a Dallas-based charity that supports several causes each year, raised $500,000 to bring Bigs in Blue to Dallas.

As a result of the phenomenal support from the Dallas community, BBBS of Lone Star has set a goal of making 300 Bigs in Blue matches in Dallas. Assistant Chief Stokes said he would like to be the first Big Brother in the program.