TAMPA, FLA. (March 3, 2025) — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay is honored to announce a generous $10,000 grant from Suncoast Credit Union. As a leading organization dedicated to mentoring and empowering youth, this grant will help expand and enhance mentoring programs to achieve the bold goal of serving 5,000 youth, making a significant impact on the lives of young people throughout the community.
The funding will be used to support one-to-one mentoring connections and impactful experiences for young people. By investing in mentorship and personal development Big Brothers/Big Sisters honors its mission to provide support, guidance, and opportunities for growth to youth who face various challenges, both personally and academically.
“We are grateful to Suncoast Credit Union for another year of support,” said Chris Letsos, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay. “This funding will allow us to reach more youth, enhance our programs, and provide essential tools to help students achieve their goals and build a brighter future. We are proud of this relationship with Suncoast Credit Union as part of their legacy in uplifting education, health, and the well-being of our young people.”
Alignment with the community is essential for the success of mentoring programs and expanding services to a larger audience.
“We remain committed to supporting organizations that create meaningful, lasting change in the lives of youth within our communities” says Jeff Kunberger, Executive Director of the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation. “Big Brothers Big Sisters shares our vision of mentorship, empowerment, and creating opportunity. We believe connection and engagement can create meaningful relationships and we are pleased to contribute to the worthy cause of mentorship.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay is part of the nation’s largest donor and volunteer-supported mentoring network and holds itself accountable for children in its program to achieve measurable outcomes, such as educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships. More than 2500 children were served in 2024 through one-to-one match relationships and group mentoring experiences across a 9-county service area: Alachua, Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Marion, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk and Sumter. Amongst those served, 83% received free/reduced lunch, 72% lived with a single parent or other caregiver, and 79% of the youth were children of color. For more information, please visit us at www.GoBigtampabay.org
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Suncoast Credit Union is the largest credit union in the state of Florida, the 8th largest in the United States based on membership, and the 10th largest in the United States based on its $18.4 billion in assets. Chartered in 1934 as Hillsborough County Teachers Credit Union, Suncoast Credit Union currently operates 81 full-service branches and serves more than 1.2 million members across Florida. As a community credit union, anyone who lives, works, attends school, or worships in Suncoast Credit Union’s service area is eligible for membership. In 2021,
Suncoast Credit Union’s field of membership was expanded to include public K-12 teachers, college educators, and educational support staff from all of Florida’s 67 counties. Suncoast is passionate about community support. Since its founding in 1990, the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation has raised and donated more than $53 million to organizations and initiatives that support the health, education, and emotional well-being of children in the communities that the credit union serves. For more information, visit suncoast.com
