BBBS in the News

Washington, NJ - (February 11, 2010)  After a year long, comprehensive process of due diligence, we are pleased to announce that Big Brothers Big Sisters of

Warren County and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hunterdon & Somerset have merged.  The new agency is called Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hunterdon, Somerset & Warren Counties (BBBSHSW).  Big Brothers Big Sisters of America has been involved throughout the process, and has fully approved the merger.  We are confident that with the merger, our School Based, High School Bigs and Community Based programs will be able to increase services to children.  BBBSHSW plans to work collaboratively with schools, social service agencies and local businesses to improve the lives of children in our communities.

The new agency began serving children on January 1, 2010. Each agency has been matching children with caring Big Brothers and Big Sisters for over thirty years.  The combined experience of the agencies will create a stronger more efficient program to make a positive impact on the lives of children.  According to Executive Director Karen Cassano “We are looking forward to increasing our presence in all three counties.  Our focus during the first months is to get to know the communities we are serving especially in Hunterdon and Somerset.”

BBBSHSW is a youth mentoring organization.  Children in our program are primarily from single parent families or being raised grandparents or other family members.  Our matches focus on building a friendship between a Big Brother or Big Sister and a Little Brother or Little Sister that will be rewarding to the volunteer and have a positive, lasting impact on the child.

BBBSHSW has relocated to larger offices at 2 West Washington Avenue, 210-212, Washington, NJ 07882.  If you would like to learn more about becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister please contact us at 908-689-0436 or e-mail bbbswc@comcast.net.  If you have a child that would benefit from our services please contact our office.  Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hunterdon Somerset & Warren Counties is a United Way member agency. 

Luke Harada, Board President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hunterdon & Somerset Counties and Gary Dailey, Board President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Warren County

Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO

Tapped to Serve on Governor-Elect Christie's Transition Team

Newark, NJ - (December 3, 2009) The Transition Team of New Jersey Governor-Elect Christopher J. Christie has announced the appointment of President & CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson & Union Counties, Carlos Lejnieks, to serve on the Education Sub-Committee.

"It's an honor to serve on this Transition Team and to be intimately involved in crafting policy that can shape the way this Administration improves the life options for young people of our community. Governor-Elect Christie understands that mentoring is a vital component of a young person's life and to have such representation on the Team is certainly an early indication that he is serious about continuing his commitment to our issues," said  Lejnieks.

Lejnieks also serves as Vice-Chairman of Big Brothers Big Sisters of NJ. "I see my role on the committee as advocating for a holistic approach to education and youth development through the provision of quality services," Lejnieks explained. "We are creating a continuum of service inside school and out that ensures that all children have the same opportunities for growth and success. I look forward to working with Governor-Elect Christie to ensure this vision becomes a reality." 

Lejnieks’ agency has worked through a long and thoughtful strategic planning process which has created a bold plan for growth in the communities he serves. When Lejnieks first took over in May of 2008, the Newark-based agency served only 116 youth. Today, they serve well over 600 young people in the community. "We must persist with focus and discipline," said Lejnieks. "There is much work left to do, but the 'fierce urgency of now' as Dr. King famously said, drives us forward."

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a one-to-one mentoring organization dedicated to matching young people in need with a quality, caring, adult role-model to serve as a mentor. It takes only 4 hours a month for one year to be a mentor.  For more information please visit www.BigsAndKids.org or www.BBBSNJ.org

Corporate Donors and Volunteers Give Big

November 2009 - Big Brothers Big Sisters is over 100 years old and is one of this country’s largest donor supported volunteer mentoring organizations.  There are 10 community agencies in New Jersey serving over 5000 children.  These agencies rely on donations from businesses and private individuals to recruit, carefully screen and match volunteers, and provide ongoing support to the mentors, children and their families.  Corporations and local community businesses play a crucial role in the success of the Big Brothers Big Sisters programs through monetary donations and programs specifically designed to match volunteers from a corporation with children in their local community. 

For the past four years, the Sheraton Hotel of Atlantic City has participated in a Corporate Bigs program administered by the Big Brothers Big Sisters Agency of Cape May & Atlantic Counties.  The Sheraton Hotel volunteers are matched with children of the Texas Avenue School in Atlantic City.  Most recently, during 2008-2009, nine volunteers from the Sheraton Hotel were matched with children of the Texas Avenue School.  These volunteers met one-on-one with their matched Littles once per week for one hour.  They played games, helped with homework, and talked about what was going on in their lives -- simple moments that have huge impact.  Richard Prince, a Guidance Counselor at the Texas Avenue School says, “It may seem like a small amount of time, but this one hour sincerely puts a little bit of magic back into the child’s life.  We believe at Texas Avenue School we have angels on our side.”

At the end of each school year, the mentors and teachers complete evaluation surveys on areas where the children have/have not changed regarding confidence, competence and caring.  The Texas Avenue School children collectively showed increased self-confidence, improved ability in expressing feelings and making decisions, greater hobbies and interests, and better hygiene and appearance.  They also improved their attitude toward school, were more prepared for class, participated more often, and were better behaved overall.  These evaluations are consistent with the results of a study conducted earlier this year by Harris Interactive on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters.  That study’s results suggest that adults that were mentored as Littles in the BBBS programs, break cycles linked to poverty and were more likely to have four-year college degrees, higher incomes, closer relationships with their own children, and more likely to be engaged in their community through volunteering and holding a leadership role in an organization working on an issue.
 

The partnership between the Sheraton Hotel of Atlantic City and BBBS of Cape May & Atlantic Counties expands beyond the Corporate Bigs program.  Sheraton understands the impact of BBBS programs in our community and that it takes money to support.  They’ve generously hosted events to raise funds directly for the BBBS agency.  They reach beyond the matched Littles and provide incentives for all the Texas Avenue School’s children to improve their grades, attendance and school attitude.  All students with good grades are invited to several Sheraton sponsored activities and the hotel sponsors and hosts the Texas Avenue School’s Academic Awards Banquet each June for over 500 people.  The corporate partnership between the Sheraton Hotel of Atlantic City and BBBS of Cape May/Atlantic Counties is changing the way children grow up in Atlantic City.

We are so grateful for our many generous donors and corporate partners in New Jersey who are part of something Big. They are part of the power of every match.  A caring adult sharing everyday experiences with a child is the core premise on which Big Brothers Big Sisters was built and based.  The friendships, laughter and moments shared between Bigs and Littles contributes to brighter futures, better schools, and stronger communities for all of us.  If you are interested in being part of the magic, and exploring corporate program opportunities, please visit our website www.bbbsnj.org.

Adults Mentored as Children in Big Brothers Big Sisters

More Likely to Succeed in Life – A Personal Story

September 2009 - A study conducted by Harris Interactive earlier this year on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters suggests their mentoring programs are proven to succeed.  Adults mentored as children through Big Brothers Big Sisters are more likely than peers with similar backgrounds, but who were not involved in the program, to have more successes in life.  This cross-sectional study was commissioned to gather evidence that Big Brothers Big Sisters long-term structured mentoring program’s effects reach far beyond the time that children are enrolled in the program.  Some of the study’s key findings are:

• Alumni were 27% more likely to have four-year college degrees
• Alumni were 39% more likely to have current household incomes of $75,000 or higher
• 82% of alumni have children and feel extremely or very close to them
• Approximately two in three alumni are extremely or very satisfied with their lives
• Adult Littles are more likely than non-alumni to be engaged in their community over the past 12 months, particularly with volunteering and holding a leadership role in an organization working on an issue.

 Chris Miles of Medford Lakes was 6 years old when his mother enrolled him in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Burlington/Camden/Gloucester Counties.  While his mother provided a good home and loved Chris, he felt there was a lot missing in his young life and was very sad.  Chris’ father had left the family and had no contact with Chris.  Having a Big Brother meant a lot to him.  When asked what impact it had, Chris says “The biggest thing it did for me was that this person, my Big Brother, cared enough about me that he was willing to spend his Saturday with me.  That may sound like something small, but to me it meant I was worth something.  I knew that someone cared and this little spark of self worth helped me grow with confidence.”

His Big Brother John turned out to be a perfect match for Chris.  John was about the same age as Chris’ father would be and he had a son, also named Chris, who lived in another state and had not seen John for several years.  When John and Chris got together, they spent time going to garage sales finding deals and sailing on John’s boat.  Chris says, “John and I spent small amounts of time together, but it meant a lot to both of us.  After many years, both of us had the opportunity to restore our missing relationships, I with my father and John with his son.  We didn’t try to help each other accomplish this, but our Big Brother/Little Brother relationship just put everything into perspective for us.  It made me realize that my father probably really wanted to be with me but whatever life had thrown at him, it stopped him from doing so.”

Today Chris is married with three children.  He is the successful owner and CEO of Miles Technology Inc. employing 100 people and is also a partner in several other business ventures.  John and Chris still stay in touch with a brief conversation every month.  When Chris was asked how having a Big Brother changed his life, he responded “Big Brothers Big Sisters were some of the many people that helped me to become who I am today.  I will never know if everything would be as good for me as it is today if I never had a Big Brother.  It is great that I do not have to ever know.”

The Burlington/Camden/Gloucester Big Brother Big Sister Agency is one of 10 community agencies in New Jersey serving over 5000 children.  Chris’ story is only one example of how Big Brothers Big Sisters is proven to improve children’s odds for succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and breaking negative cycles.  These agencies rely on donations to recruit, carefully match and screen volunteers, and provide ongoing professional support to the mentors, children and their families.  Learn how you can change children’s lives in New Jersey by going to www.bbbsnj.org. 

New JerseyBig Brothers / Big Sisters of The Year Awards Presented

August 2009—The New Jersey Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation recently presented their 2009 Big Brother and Big Sister of the Year Awards.  These deserving Bigs were honored for their dedication and commitment to mentoring their Littles.  The recipients were selected from over 5000 matches in the state.  Each of the ten Big Brother Big Sister agencies review all their current mentoring matches and submits one Big Brother and one Big Sister for award consideration.  The state association then selects the Bigs they feel are most deserving.

The New Jersey 2009 Big Brother of the Year Award was presented to Charlie Krauss from the Hunterdon and Somerset Counties Big Brother Big Sister Agency.  Charlie and his Little Brother Justin have been matched since December 2005.  More than 4 years later, Justin and Charlie consider each other like biological brothers.  Charlie has helped Justin in so many ways, from purchasing a guitar and sending him to guitar camp, to making sure he is well prepared to start school every year.  But much more important than purchased gifts from Charlie is the mentoring he’s done to teach Justin how to behave positively, build his self esteem and improve his school grades.  Since Charlie has been in Justin’s life, his reading skills have improved and he’s progressed from a learning disabled math class to a regular math class.  The impact Charlie has made in Justin’s life and his future is immeasurable.  Charlie also found other ways to contribute to the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters.  He is a member of the board for the Hunterdon/Somerset agency and is involved in several large events to raise funds in support of the mission.

The New Jersey 2009 Big Sister of the Year Award was presented to Jill Estell from the Cumberland and Salem Counties Big Brother Big Sister Agency.  Jill and her Little Sister Amanda have been matched since September 2006.  Their friendship blossomed quickly and they are so close now that they act much more like biological sisters than Big & Little sisters.  Jill’s unwavering commitment to spend time with Amanda every week is one of the reasons she received this award.  Amanda credits Jill with helping her stay focused in school and says, “If I ever have a problem, I go to her and she helps me.”  She also added “Jill is the coolest person, she’s funny and I love hanging out with her.  Everything we do is fun.”  Jill and Amanda’s friendship is making a big difference in both their lives.

Amanda and Justin are just two of the matched children across the state of New Jersey in the Big Brother Big Sister program that have brighter futures due to the power of mentoring.  Both Charlie and Jill were honored with this award for their commitment and dedication to mentoring children.  They are outstanding examples of how being a mentor to a child will change both the Big and the Little’s world, and they are only two Bigs out of many adult mentors in New Jersey sharing their time and energy to positively impact children in our communities.

There are 10 community Big Brother Big Sister agencies in New Jersey serving over 5000 children.  These agencies rely on donations to recruit, carefully screen and match volunteers, and provide ongoing support to the mentors, children and their families.  Big Brothers Big Sisters is proven to improve children’s odds for succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and breaking negative cycles. 

New Jersey Big Brothers Big Sisters Agencies

Attend National Conference

June 2009—The Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies of New Jersey attended the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America National Conference held in Miami Florida on June 16 through June 18.  The focus of this year’s annual conference was a breakthrough study about adults that were mentored as children in Big Brothers Big Sisters and how their lives are now compared to their peers.  The highlight of the conference for New Jersey was Mercer County Big Brothers Big Sisters agency as recipient for two national awards.

A study conducted by Harris Interactive earlier this year on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters suggests their mentoring programs break cycles linked to poverty.    Adults mentored as children through Big Brothers Big Sisters are more likely than peers with similar backgrounds, but who were not involved in the program, to have a four-year college degree, incomes of $75,000 or greater and strong relationships with their spouses, children and friends.  This cross-sectional study was commissioned to gather evidence that Big Brothers Big Sisters long-term structured mentoring program’s effects reach far beyond the time that children are enrolled in the program. 

Some of the study’s specific findings are:

• Alumni were 27% more likely than non-alumni to have received a four-year college degree.
• Alumni were 39% more likely than non-alumni to have current household incomes of $75,000 or higher.
• 82% of alumni have children and a large majority of them feel either extremely or very close to them, compared to 69% of non-alumni that have children.
• Approximately two in three alumni are extremely or very satisfied with life compared to just over one in three of non-alumni.
• Adult Littles are more likely than non-alumni to be engaged in their community over the past 12 months, particularly with volunteering and holding a leadership role in an organization working on an issue.

 Big Brothers Big Sisters is over 100 years old and is one of this country’s largest donor supported volunteer mentoring organizations.  There are 10 community agencies in New Jersey serving over 5000 children.  These agencies rely on donations to recruit, carefully match and screen volunteers, and provide ongoing support to the mentors, children and their families. 
 

A highlight at the conference for the New Jersey Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation, was Mercer County BBBS receiving two national awards:  Board of the Year for Midsize Agencies and The Pinnacle Award (only 1 of 4 agencies awarded nationally) for the second consecutive year.  Susan Dunning, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County said, “Our agency has grown 400% over the past 3 years, going from 100 to 532 matches.”  Ms. Dunning reflected that “the entire conference is enjoyable, but the best part is hearing the stories first-hand from the Littles and how our mentoring program has impacted their lives.”

There are over 400 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country serving more than 250,000 children in our communities.  Big Brothers Big Sisters is proven to improve children’s odds for succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and breaking negative cycles.  Learn how you can change how children grow up in New Jersey by going to BigBrothersBigSisters.org and contacting the local agency in your area.