Blog - Page 22 of 22 - Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay

Feb 01

Free & Low-Cost Activities for Matches

By bbbs Match Events

It’s not the money spent that makes the difference, but how you spend your time that will have a lasting impact.

You may remember your Match Support Specialist saying that Disney isn’t the best idea for your first outing with your Little. Ever wonder why? It’s because it sets an expectation that EVERY outing will be just as big and extravagant as Disney. In reality, most of the activities you will do together will be free or low-cost activities that encourage your Little to engage with you and the surrounding environment without putting a strain on your wallet.

When it comes to spending time with your Little, it’s not about how much money you spend. Although a trip to Disney can be fun for a special occasion, like your Little’s birthday or a stellar report card from school, what’s important is consistency in time spent with your Little.

Here are some awesome ways to hang with your Little that are free or low-cost:

Wash the car
Visit the park
Go to a festival
Play a sport together
Watch a ballgame
Go to the beach
Enjoy a fishing trip
Bake a cake or cook a meal
Make a scrapbook
Go on a picnic
Visit the local library
Play a board game or card game
Help them with their homework
Take a walk, hike or ride your bikes

It really is that easy! Your Little will cherish the time you spend together no matter what you are doing. And you don’t have to break the bank to have a good time.

What other ideas do you have for free and low-cost ways that you can spend time with your Little?

Jan 20

Bigs in Blue Aims to Connect Youth & Police Through Mentoring

By bbbs Bigs in Blue/Bigs with Badges

Through one-to-one mentoring relationships, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay hopes area youth get a more accurate perception of the positive role law enforcement personnel play in our community.

Bigs in Blue is a one-to-one mentoring program through Big Brothers Big Sisters that aims to build a bridge between law enforcement personnel and the communities they serve by pairing children facing adversity with mentors in local law enforcement. Currently there are 55 Bigs in Blue programs in the United States, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay.

The pilot program for the Tampa Bay area was launched with the Tampa Police Department in the fall of 2017. As part of the program, TPD employees (called Bigs) spend one hour each week meeting with an elementary school student (called Littles) to spend quality time together. Currently there are over 35 matches involving TPD personnel, and they are excited about growing with Bigs in Blue.

“We feel honored to be the pilot program and we think it will be a huge success in the Tampa Bay area,” said Capt. Ashley Roberts, Big Brothers Big Sisters liaison for the Tampa Police Department. She explained that the benefit of allowing officers to volunteer during their work hours means that the usual barriers to becoming a Big – not enough time or having kids of their own – is no longer an issue.

Capt. Roberts, who has a Little Sister herself, knew Bigs in Blue would have positive outcomes for the children, such as reducing their risk of involvement with the Dept. of Juvenile Justice. But she didn’t realize how much the program would affect her. “It definitely has a positive impact on the kids and the officers,” she said. “I look forward to seeing my Little all week. We’ve been reading My Little Pony together and she loves it! The program gives the children a sense of pride.”

“I would recommend the program to any local law enforcement that is thinking about getting involved,” she said. “The initial setup takes time, but after that, the program basically runs itself. I tell everyone how amazing this experience has been.”

If you are interested in learning more about the Bigs in Blue program, please reach out to Jack Sheppard at 727-420-4338 or JackS@bbbstampabay.org

Nov 06

The Art of Helping Children Gala Brought Awareness to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay

By BBBS of Tampa Bay Fundraising Events 34,455 Comments

The Big Gala was an opportunity for fundraising, philanthropy and fun!

The 19th annual Art of Helping Children Gala at the Hilton Tampa Downtown was once again a huge success! Thanks to the 600 attendees and USAmeriBank, the evening was full of excitement.
The theme “Big”, based on the 1988 Tom Hanks film, allowed the adults let loose and act like kids! Upon entering the Gala guests were greeted by Zoltar the Great and could get their fortunes read. The VIP room showcased large floor pianos for everyone to enjoy. Dinner tables displayed toys and games as centerpieces. The ballroom was transformed into an elegant playroom with video games, foosball and a ping-pong table!

To kickoff the evening Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay’s CEO, Stephen Koch, was recognized for his 15 years of commitment to changing the lives of children facing adversity for the better, forever. The silent auction lasted through dinner and was closed with a performance based on the popular scene from “Big” where the characters Josh and MacMillan play a duet on the large floor piano in the world-famous FAO Schwarz toy store.

After dinner, Big Sister Laura/Little Sister Carrie and Big Brother Oscar/Little Brother Jarell from the Youth Ranch mentoring program shared their story about being matched and spoke about how the experience has changed their lives in positive ways. Then Brian Auld of the Tampa Bay Rays shared the numbers that show why mentoring matters, such as 98% of our Littles move onto the next grade level. He then called for donations so that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay can continue to make positive changes in lives of children in our community!
The evening closed with a live band and smooth dance moves.

Thanks to all that attended the event and all the sponsors for making this amazing event a reality!

Want to help make an impact in the lives of children in the community? Donate to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay today!

Oct 07

Dream Big, Be Big with our Community Mural

By BBBS of Tampa Bay In The News 31,766 Comments

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay partnered with the SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival to create a community mural that will leave a lasting impact.

The community of St. Petersburg came together to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay in creating a 90-foot mural in Childs Park. In collaboration with the SHINE St. Petersburg Mural Festival, local artists Derek Donnelly and Chad Mize, the St. Petersburg Leadership Council, and the Florida Dream Center, the “Dream Big Be Big” mural was the kickoff event for the ten-day festival that highlights the power of public art all over Downtown St. Petersburg.

Thirteen Big/Little matches participated in making this mural a reality. Prior to the event, the Matches received a lesson in the techniques of muralism while brainstorming the greater idea of what it means to “dream big”. Empowering youth through art, the mural included imagery symbolizing what it means to be bigger than oneself with illustrations of hearts, animals, and words of positivity included in the painting. On the day of the event, friends, family, and community leaders, including the Mayor of St. Petersburg Rick Kriseman, took part in the painting the mural, truly making this a symbol of the neighborhood’s comradery and goodwill.

This project sincerely inspired not only the Bigs and Little who participated but also the community that came together to create this life-long impression on the park and all those who will visit the mural in the future.

Want to get involved with projects like this? Mentor a child with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay!

Sep 21

The BIG Celebration was a BIG success

By BBBS of Tampa Bay Match Events 33,243 Comments

Matches from all over our seven counties attended our largest annual Big/Little event at the Florida Aquarium, sponsored by Bloomin’ Brands.

Each year Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay hosts the BIG Celebration for our matches. This event is an opportunity for Bigs and Littles to get together to enjoy food and fun with each other. This year we had over 200 matches in attendance. Some had only been matched for a few weeks, others had been matched for over ten years!

The celebration was an evening at The Florida Aquarium. Matches got to hang with the fish and chow on catered delights graciously donated by Bloomin’ Brands. The adventurous types were seen petting stingrays while others donned boas and masks for the photo booth. Everyone took turns waving at divers in the shark tank and taking guesses at the size of the Goliath grouper.

The BIG Celebration is also a time for matches to meet with their Match Support Specialists. These specialists help facilitate relationships between Bigs and Littles. Some Match Support Specialists came up with fun activities for their matches to do while at the event such as a deep-sea scavenger hunt!

A huge thanks to our sponsors, The Florida Aquarium and Bloomin’ Brands, for making this event possible. Good times were had and memories were made!

Want to make a lasting difference in a child’s life? Learn how to become a mentor today!

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