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Monthly Archives

September 2020

Make an Impact with the CARES Act

By In The News

You may have read about the CARES Act, which provides financial support to businesses and families impacted by COVID-19. The CARES Act has a provision for donors like you, who want to know how they can help during these unpredictable times.

Our need for services has grown as the children and families served by Big Brothers Big Sisters face increased anxiety and stress due to the pandemic. Your investment in one-to-one mentoring relationships is more critical than ever to help build resilience among youth in our community.

Here’s what the CARES Act $300 ‘nonitemizer’ deduction for 2020 means for you: 

  • It went into full effect beginning Friday, March 27, and will apply to donations made for all of 2020.
  • This applies to you if you do not itemize your taxes.
  • If you do itemize your taxes, you are eligible for a charitable deduction at 100% of your adjusted gross income.
  • This only applies to cash donations (not in-kind contributions)
  • This does not apply to Donor Advised Funds

Please consider making a much-needed donation of $300 (or more) today. You can easily donate online or mail a check to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, 4630 Woodland Corporate Boulevard #160 Tampa, FL 33614

A Successful VIRTUAL Art of Helping Children Gala

By Fundraising Events

Thank you to everyone who joined us in making our 22nd Annual Art of Helping Children Gala and first VIRTUAL Gala a success! With your generous support, we raised close to $400,000 to ignite the power and promise of youth through one-to-one mentoring relationships!

We are not yet at our goal! Become a defender of potential and help us raise the critical dollars needed to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth for the 3,000 children we serve annually across our nine-counties.

#BigGala2020 Highlights

Thank you to our Sponsors

Little Sister & Big Sister

Hispanic Heritage Month

By Match Events

September 15 – October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month, which celebrates the heritage, culture, and contributions of the Hispanic and Latinx communities across the United States.

This is a great opportunity to learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month and celebrate this time with your Little! Whether you plan on sharing your heritage with your Little, learning more about theirs, or exploring different customs together, we hope these activity suggestions will inspire you to honor the month and get curious together!

 

MOVIES TO WATCH

Ferdinand

Coco

Pachamama

El Libro de la Vida

 

EASY RECIPES TO MAKE TOGETHER

Traditional Latin American Recipes to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month: 5 Countries, 5 Dishes, 1 Kitchen

 

BOOKS TO READ:

Ages 7-8

The Secret Footprints by Julie Alvarez | A reimagining of the Dominican legend of the ciguapas.

Ages 7-10

Max Loves Muñecas –Zette Elliot | A young boy who is embarrassed to love the boutique selling dolls meets a muneca maker who teaches him “There is no shame in making something beautiful with your hands. Sewing is a skill just like hitting a baseball or fixing a car.”

Ages 8-12

Gaby Lost and Found – Angela Cervantes | Gaby Ramirez Howard loves volunteering at the local animal shelter, but has been feeling like a stray herself lately. Her mother has recently been deported to Honduras, and Gaby has to live with her inattentive father. She is waiting for her mother to come home so the family can adopt Gaby’s favorite cat from the shelter. When the cat’s original owners show up at the shelter, Gaby worries that her plans for a perfect family are about to fall apart.

Young Adult

It’s Not about the Accent – Caridad Ferrer | Caroline Darcy decides to explore–and exploit–her distant Cuban ancestry when she goes away to college, claiming to be half-Cuban, calling herself “Carolina,” and dying her blond hair Havana Brown, but soon faces profound consequences.

Celebrate the Power of Mentoring during BBBS Month

By In The News

This September, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay is celebrating Big Brothers Big Sisters Month to recognizes the critical importance of mentoring.

Most children and families served by Big Brothers Big Sisters are facing increased anxiety and stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Mentoring relationships protect against the harmful effects of stress and build resilience among children. In response, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay has completely reoriented our programming to virtually facilitate these life-changing relationships.

Together, we can ignite the power and promise of youth across our community because we are #BiggerTogether. Join us to celebrate Big Brothers Big Sisters Month by sharing the message of what it means to be #BiggerTogether on social media with #BBBSMonth.

Volunteer or donate to support mentoring for young people.

Five Littles Attended Clearwater Marine Aquarium Camp Thanks to Ron Jon Surf Shop

By Match Events

Through the generosity of the Ron Jon Surf Shop, five children from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay attended a week of full-day camp sessions this July at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium. The total value for all five campers was $2,500. Many of the selected campers had a previous affinity for the marine world. Watching their excitement throughout the camp was indeed a delight for Clearwater Marine Aquarium staff members. Additionally, as the children had spent the preceding months in quarantine, their experiences out in nature were amplified. 

Each morning, the campers attended the Ocean Warriors camp session, which focuses on habitat loss, plastic pollution, microplastics, overfishing, and bycatch. In the afternoon, the campers attended EcoExplorers, focused on fostering a love of the outdoors in children and instructing campers about the natural world. Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus, the off-campus field trips initially scheduled for the week were canceled. Still, the campers had a wonderful time exploring the Aquarium, Clearwater Bay, and the surrounding waterways. Littles received a “gear pack”, including a Clearwater Marine Aquarium bag and beach towel, mask/snorkel, eco-friendly sunscreen, sunglasses, and of course, a Ron Jon water bottle! The children also received a camp t-shirt and free lunch each day. 

 

Campers

Little Brother: Nigel 

Little Brother Nigel is 11 years old and will be attending fifth grade this coming school year. Nigel has lived with his grandmother for over three years. He enjoys animals, nature, being outdoors, playing football, and Tai Kwon Do. 

Over the past few months, Nigel’s activities have significantly curtailed due to COVID-19. He has been mainly staying at home and unable to see his Big Couple, which has left him very disappointed. His grandmother was thrilled about this opportunity to attend camp as it would allow him to spend time outdoors learning how to help the environment. Nigel lives in Clearwater, making it convenient for his grandmother to bring him to and from the Clearwater camp. 

At the beginning of the camp, Nigel was slightly overwhelmed by all the information he was learning! Toward the middle of the week, he began to soak everything in and truly began learning. Nigel is a tactile learner who prefers to examine specimens with his hands and collect materials from the natural environment. 

 

Little Sister: Jillayah

Jillayah is in fourth grade. Her mom thought the summer camp was an incredible opportunity for Jill because, since COVID-19, she had been despondent, missing going to school and spending time with other kids. It was also a fantastic reward since Jill did well academically last semester despite the many challenges with virtual schooling. 

Jill’s Big Sister is an Environmental Scientist, so Jill’s experiences at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium summer camp will help Jill understand her Big Sister’s occupation and increase their connection. We hope this will provide various topics and conversations for the two to share during their monthly video chat session. 

Jill’s transformation over the week was truly remarkable. On the first day of the camp, Jill was slightly apprehensive and incredibly nervous about kayaking. By the third day, she was kayaking at an expert level and displayed real leadership qualities, acting as a support system for her peers when necessary. Kayaking became her favorite activity at the camp. 

 

Little Brother: Jordan 

Jordan, a fourth-grader, had his recent activities curtailed due to COVID-19 with no plans scheduled for the summer. The camp was a welcome invitation for him as he is an extremely active child and always looking for adventure. 

Throughout the camp, Jordan adored being outside, and snorkeling was his favorite activity. He was a very inclusive group member, always sharing what he found when exploring with the other campers. Jordan would also bring in books from home related to topics they were learning at camp to show the other children. During an exercise to design a sustainable seafood menu, Jordan expressed his desire to serve shark at his fictional restaurant. Camp counselors educated him on the error in that decision, but it took some convincing! 

 

Little Sister: Aniya 

Aniya, a fifth-grader, has a real passion for aquatic life and was selected for the camp because she was interested in learning more about how to conserve the marine world. Like the rest of the campers, she was without any plans for the summer. She was very excited to participate in a camp that resonated so profoundly with her interests. 

Out of all the campers, Aniya was the most focused and had a genuine thirst for knowledge about the marine world. If the group became sidetracked, she was the one to bring us back to the center. She was genuinely fearless, whether that meant being the first to ask questions in the group or dive down and investigate while snorkeling. Kayaking was one of her favorite activities, but she also enjoying filtering water for microplastics.

 

Little Sister: Emma 

Emma is a very kind, friendly child with a deep affinity for animals. She is also a gifted student who takes a hands-on approach when learning new things. Learning about the interconnectivity of processes, such as ecosystems and the food chain, and how to better care for our environment – are areas that Emma likes to explore. Emma has also recently developed an interest in learning to snorkel. All of these interests made her a perfect candidate for the camp! 

While Emma was on the quiet side, she soaked everything in and asked incredibly insightful questions. When asked a question, Emma would provide the most detail of all the campers, illustrating that our lessons were indeed impacting her. Emma loved the aquaponics lesson and asked perceptive questions during the tour of the aquaponics exhibit. 

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