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Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) are working together to bring their outcome-driven experiences and programs to more girls across the country. The two organizations are combining their efforts to provide access to leadership and mentoring opportunities in the areas of STEM, outdoors, life skills development and entrepreneurship.


Both GSUSA and BBBSA recognize the impact forging meaningful connections with others and cultivating a sense of belonging can have on a young person’s life, especially girls. At a time when students are struggling with their mental and emotional health after a year and a half of remote learning, this intervention and connection is needed more than ever.


“Mental health is top of mind for both girls and their caregivers,” shared interim GSUSA CEO Judith Batty. “Girl Scouts’ fun, educational, and research-based programming leaves a positive, lasting impact on girls as young as kindergarten and helps them develop into responsible, caring, and engaged leaders. The world needs Girl Scouts more than ever, and we are thrilled to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America to support their caring mentors with our programming as they empower girls to stay on a path to a successful future.”


With nearly nine of 10 Girl Scout alums achieving a high sense of life satisfaction both personally and professionally, and 93 percent of BBBSA youth participants, affectionately called Littles, attributing the presence of an adult who cares and looks out for them as very important in helping them achieve their goals, both BBBSA and GSUSA are well equipped to support girls in communities nationwide.


“BBBSA is committed to nurturing the growth and continued success of today’s youth, and we’re excited to announce this new alliance with Girl Scouts to bring the necessary resources to young girls who are seeking guidance and direction,” said Artis Stevens, president and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “These new connections and educational tools will allow our organizations to better equip young girls to conquer their struggles, and the everyday obstacles they’re facing in today’s world. Together, we can and will create a positive and impactful change for the future young women of our country.” Through this partnership, local BBBSA agencies and corresponding Girl Scout councils in 14 markets will partner to recruit and enroll “matches” of Big Sisters (volunteers) and Little Sisters. The ‘matches’ will have access to education-based tools and guidance during the 2021-2022 school year. This will allow even more girls to gain important skills through the Girl Scout Experience. Girl Scouts and BBBSA plan to implement this partnership more broadly in the coming years.


To learn more about the offerings and overall partnership, visit https://www.bbbs.org/girl-scouts/. To learn more about Girl Scouts and volunteer opportunities, visit www.girlscouts.org/join. To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship and volunteer opportunities, visit www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.

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We Are Girl Scouts of the USA
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges— whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscouts.org.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), the largest and most experienced youth mentoring organization in the United States, has been selected as an honoree of the 2021 Holiday Impact Prize, presented by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and former New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, and supported by Focusing Philanthropy.

Big Brothers Big Sisters was selected as one of two volunteer organizations highlighted for people looking to make a difference in their local communities.

“The work of Big Brothers Big Sisters is particularly important right now because for nearly two years, young people have experienced social isolation, emotional trauma, and they’ve faced realities of inequitable access to broadband, food, shelter, social and emotional support,” stated Artis Steven, President & CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “We believe that a greater society is going to be driven by the way we create justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in young people’s lives. We encourage anyone who is interested and believes in those values and wants to help kids to continue to thrive in their lives to engage with us.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters depends on volunteers to empower a young person’s potential. The 2021 Holiday Impact Prize will bolster the organization’s mission to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

Since 2009, Kristof has written an annual “holiday gift guide” column to highlight little-known organizations working to make the world a better place. He began writing the gift guide to bridge a philanthropic gap: readers who wanted to help but didn’t know how, and heroic individuals and organizations who desperately needed resources but were off donors’ radar.

The column has helped raise the profiles of organizations that work on the very issues he covers in his journalism—health, education, human rights and women’s rights, both domestically and abroad. This year’s $100,000 Grand Prize winner was Seva Foundation, a global non-profit eye care organization that has helped restore sight to more than 46 million people. Runners-up Per Scholas and Panzi Foundation were each awarded $25,000.

Focusing Philanthropy—a 501(c)3 nonprofit that finds and funds high-impact, scalable programs here and around the world—is providing the platform for this initiative by processing readers’ contributions, monitoring and reporting on results, and replenishing credit card transaction costs of donations made on KristofImpact.org so that 100 cents on the dollar will support the winning organizations.

More information about Nicholas Kristof’s Holiday Impact Prize, this year’s winners, and Focusing Philanthropy can be found at KristofImpact.org.

We are excited to announce Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is being honored as one of the country’s most influential brands given the great momentum we have generated this year! We are being honored alongside a number of iconic brands that includes Call of Duty, The Herschel Supply Company, McDonald’s, Chobani, UNO, TikTok, NOBULL, Benevity, NHL Team Seattle Kraken and DoorDash.

We will take center stage at the Gathering Summit in Banff Canada, April 20-22, 2022, a Forbes top-rated business and marketing Summit that unites global executives and recognizes the world’s most iconic brands. It was just announced this week that we are the only national non-profit selected for this prestigious award. The Summit will host more than 1,200 top corporate executives and influencers as well as broadcast to tens of thousands of professionals worldwide. Artis Stevens, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will take the stage and share the amazing story of our mission and the powerful impact we make in young people’s lives. This is the result of the amazing work of our 236 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country. 

Check out the link to a 2-minute video announcing the winners. We invite you to share our message on your social channels, and follow The Gathering here: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), the largest and most experienced youth mentoring organization in the United States, announced its inaugural Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Council, to support the organization’s long-standing commitment to empower all young people. The group made up of business and nonprofit leaders and experts, will bring their expertise and compassion to BBBSA to cultivate strategies, curate concepts, and advise on JEDI issues affecting youth, staff, volunteers, and communities across the country.

Ensuring the opportunity for all voices and perspectives to be heard and honored is an integral part of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ values and mission. The formation of this cohort is part of BBBSA’s responsibility to create a nondiscriminatory and anti-racist approach to dismantle any inequities within its policies, systems, programs, and services, so all young people can experience a strong mentoring relationship in their lives.

The JEDI Council is comprised of selected experts and leaders in, and allies of, diverse communities, including BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), LGBTQ, higher education, including Historical Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Greek letter organizations, and representatives from government, healthcare, and mental health institutions.

BBBSA will work with this council on recommendations to enhance policies and practices to create more equitable outcomes for the Big Brothers Big Sisters workforce and young people, as well as assist with the creation of surveys, training and curriculum materials and tools for volunteers, mentors, and staff.

In addition, members will participate in BBBSA’s webinar series, Race, Relationships, and Resources, a series of conversations providing diverse perspectives on issues related to young people and innovative solutions to empower their futures.

The members of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America JEDI Council include:

  • Jana Brown, co-chair, EVP, Chief Human Resource Officer, Centurion Health
  • Sadiq Ali, MENTOR, Maryland | DC Executive Director
  • Sonia Aranza, CEO, Global Diversity & Inclusion Strategist, Aranza Cross Cultural Strategies
  • Zyahna Bryant, Student, activist, community organizer
  • Christine Cariño, Founder, Managing Partner, Conscious Thrive Consulting
  • Dr. Nia Imani Fields, Maryland 4-H Program Leader and Assistant Director of Extension
  • Edwin M. Green, Jr., Ed.D., MSW, Executive Director of The 413 Center, Inc.
  • Jared Karol, Author, upcoming book entitled A White Guy Confronting Racism an Invitation to Reflect and Act
  • Roberto Rivera, CEO, Alliance for the 7th Generation
  • JT Saunders, Chief Diversity Officer, Korn Ferry

“We are an organization born out of the justice system, to create equity for youth, bringing together diverse communities, so that all kids can feel included for the promise of opportunity and a better life,” said Artis Stevens, President and CEO, of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “But it’s not enough to say we are committed to JEDI. We must work intentionally and diligently to bring about change in our organization and our communities. Having the insight and expertise of our JEDI Council allows us to continue to evolve to meet kids and communities where they are. I’m grateful for this group of leaders and their commitment to ensuring Big Brothers Big Sisters is the most diverse, mission-driven, youth empowerment organization.” 

To learn more about Big Brothers of America’s JEDI Council visit https://www.bbbs.org/justice-equity-diversity-inclusion/.

As we continue our celebration Big Brothers Big Sisters Month, we were able to join The Steve Harvey Morning Show!  Listen to the clip HERE. During the live interview, our President and CEO, Artis Stevens discussed the critical role mentors, partners, and communities play as the village of support for young people today as well as our bold goal to get all kids on a path to graduate and a plan for their future. We are thankful for the continued commitment and partnership of iHeartMedia and their support of young people and communities nationwide.

Click HERE to listen!

Look for @SteveHarveyFM on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and be sure to like and share our posts on your social media platforms!

Today, fashion apparel retailer Express, Inc. (NYSE: EXPR), announces a partnership between its Dream Big Project and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, with the goal of providing $1M and 100,000 associate and executive volunteer hours in support of the mentoring organization and to accelerate its Big Futures initiative. Simultaneously, the brand debuts a marketing campaign to raise awareness for the partnership and its mission, headlined by Cheslie Kryst, the Company’s newly named Big Brothers Big Sisters Ambassador.

Since launching in 2020, the Express Dream Big Project powered by GoFundMe has raised over $850,000 for organizations including GoFundMe’s Small Business Relief Fund and the NAACP. Through its new partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the nation’s largest youth mentoring organization, Express will be donating $300,000 to the Big Futures initiative which focuses its efforts on helping young people ages 18 to 25 achieve their goals after graduation, whether attending college or entering the workforce. Express plans to generate an additional $500,000 over the next year through in-store and online donations as well as provide $200,000 worth of Express gift cards to help inspire confidence through style.

“The Dream Big Project is one of the ways we fulfill our brand purpose to create confidence and inspire self-expression, and this partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters is based on our belief that mentorship can set young people on a trajectory to accomplish great things,” said Sara Tervo, Express Chief Marketing Officer. “We are so pleased to welcome Cheslie Kryst as our dedicated Express Big Brothers Big Sisters Ambassador and look forward to working with her to leverage our platforms and her voice to empower young people to believe in themselves and provide them with the tools they need to follow their dreams.”

“The work Big Brothers Big Sisters does in our communities is exactly what our country needs right now—a helping hand for youth who crave encouragement and guidance,” said Cheslie Kryst, “I’m thrilled to be able to represent an organization that feeds my passion for helping others, especially through this partnership with a brand I’ve been raving about and wearing for years.”

“Big Brothers Big Sisters ignites the power and promise of young people through mentoring relationships that build self-confidence and emotional well-being to help them realize their full potential,” said Artis Stevens, President and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “With this support from Express, its associates, and customers we have the opportunity to empower more young people with a plan for their future and a mentor whose impact will last a lifetime.”

To make a donation or to learn more about the Express Dream Big Project and Big Brothers Big Sisters partnership, please visit https://express.com/dreambigproject or follow @express on Instagram. The Company will be matching customer donations during Made to #ExpressYou Weekend – September 17th to 19th – with an additional $5 Express Cash given to any Express Insider who donates in-store.  To become an Express Insider, please visit express.com/register for your free membership.

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About Express, Inc.

Express is a modern, versatile, dual gender apparel and accessories brand that helps people get dressed for every day and any occasion. Launched in 1980 with the idea that style, quality and value should all be found in one place, Express has always been a brand of the now, offering some of the most important and enduring fashion trends. Express aims to Create Confidence & Inspire Self-Expression through a design & merchandising view that brings forward The Best of Now for Real Life Versatility.

The company operates over 500 retail and factory outlet stores in the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as an online store. Express, Inc. is traded on the NYSE under the symbol EXPR. For more information, please visit www.express.com.

About Cheslie Kryst

Cheslie Kryst is an Emmy-award-nominated correspondent for nationally broadcast entertainment news show, Extra, and currently serves on the National Board of Directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Before beginning her work with Extra, Cheslie was a complex civil litigation attorney and has also worked pro bono for clients serving excessive time for low-level drug offenses. Cheslie was crowned Miss USA in May 2019 and represented the United States at the 2019 Miss Universe Competition, placing in the top ten of ninety countries. She earned both her law degree and MBA from Wake Forest University and runs a fashion blog, White Collar Glam, for women’s professional clothing.

Watch the interview HERE!

Artis Stevens has an important message for America: providing youth access to the positive adult relationships that they need to thrive shouldn’t be nearly as daunting as many assume it is – often, the act of being present for one kid can be enough. In this episode, we sit down with the President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters America to discuss the organization’s goals to make access to mentorship more equitable for young people of diverse backgrounds, as well as his experience as the organization’s first Black CEO and why that sets an important example for youth on what their opportunities can be. We also discuss the future of technology in mentorship and the massive opportunity for corporate America to get involved and benefit their own pipelines.  Listen to the full podcast HERE!

September is Big Brothers Big Sisters Month! As young people return to school nationwide, an article by Big Brother Big Sisters of America President and CEO Artis Steven in Black Enterprise advocates for the importance of supporting our youth as they navigate returning to schools.

Artis Stevens, BBBSA President & CEO, is representing Big Brothers Big Sisters in the latest episode of STORIES by Salesforce.org! STORIES is a thought leadership-based video series presented by Salesforce.org that offers a cinematic reinterpretation of the classic Fireside Chat. Artis discusses the resiliency of the youth we serve, the 30,000+ youth currently waiting to be matched with a mentor, and how our organization is using this moment to transform and innovate how we do business to expand our reach to serve more young people who need us most.

Click HERE to see the video!