In The News

Most children and families served by Big Brothers Big Sisters are facing increased anxiety 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 that ignite the potential of youth in our community. 

Join us as a defender of potential by becoming a mentor (Big). All it takes is 4-8 hours a month, depending on the program, with a focus on being consistent and spending one-to-one quality time with your mentee (Little). The first step is to attend a Big Orientation & Training session, where you’ll learn about our programs, commitments, expectations, and the kids we serve. Let’s clear a path to a child’s biggest possible future. Check out our Virtual Big Orientation & Training dates or learn more about becoming a Big. 

At our inaugural Annual Meeting of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, we revealed our new Staff Award: the Sweet Alice Award. This annual award recognizes non-supervisory, program staff who demonstrate the core values of our Pinellas County founder of Big Sisters, “Sweet” Alice Young. We were so honored to have Sweet Alice with us at the event to announce the recipients of the awards with the Chief Program Officer and Senior Vice President of Programs, Jen Libby.

Over 50 years ago, Alice, a young woman from Clearwater, heard about Big Sisters in Tampa and thought “there must be little girls in Pinellas County that need a Big Sister”. So Alice gathered 30 of her friends together and just like that, established Big Sisters of Pinellas. Alice became the first Big Sister of “the club”. 

Today, there are thousands of children in Pinellas County who have had a mentor in their lives thanks to Sweet Alice. Alice has personally shown us the long-term, community impact that one individual can have. Sweet Alice’s value and care for all children formed part of the foundation and structure of our culture. 

We couldn’t be more proud of our three Sweet Alice Award recipients of 2020, who honor Sweet Alice’s initiative and inspiring can-do attitude in their work for our agency every day:

Camellia Lindsey, Community Relations Specialist

Our first Sweet Alice recipient provides the highest level of customer service. She’s an exemplary employee, who demonstrates that Sweet Alice initiative and serves as a very knowledgeable, friendly first point of contact for our agency. She’s a quick thinker and thorough, never taking the easy way out. She’s always eager to take on new projects and challenges even without being asked – just like Sweet Alice! She was one of the pioneers for our new Matchforce system and went above and beyond to become an expert so that she could provide support to others. Camellia’s co-workers throughout the agency regularly comment on how she goes above and beyond to assist and share her knowledge in an exceptionally friendly way.

Alyssa Reas, Match Support Specialist

Our second award recipient puts her heart into supporting our matches. She takes time to get to know the parents, the Bigs, the youth, and the school staff. From advocating for kids on our waiting list to driving around dropping off school supplies for families to connecting a grandparent to community resources, she’s dedicated to ensuring each person feels supported and connected and has the best Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay experience. The result of her efforts is Matches that are still together many years later! Alyssa is deserving of the Sweet Alice Award for continually going above and beyond for recognizing the needs of those she serves and dedicating herself to personally meeting those needs.

Cathleen Schneider, Match Support Specialist

Our third recipient of the Sweet Alice Award for 2020 has supported decade long matches. She values relationships and it’s evident in every aspect of her work. She takes the time to get to know each and every child, volunteer, and participant. She develops and fosters individual, long-lasting relationships. Like Sweet Alice, she never hesitates to help without being asked. She’s served as the leader of several projects, events, and committees and is herself a volunteer and takes the time to meet her matches in person. She researches and shares resources that help her matches grow stronger and stay together longer. Cathleen exemplifies Sweet Alice’s core values through her initiative, in the way that she inspires us and the long term impact she has made in this community.

Please join us in congratulating Camellia, Alyssa and Cathleen, our recipients of the 2020 Sweet Alice Awards, and truly VIP staff members.

This back-to-school season, Horizon Organic is partnering with Big Brothers Big Sisters to further our organization’s mission to help children realize their potential and confidently build their futures through one-to-one mentoring.

Horizon Organic recognizes the unlimited potential inside every child and is asking you to use the world as your stage and take to Instagram or Facebook to show your #HorizonConfiDANCE. More than 8 million kids in the US don’t have a supportive, sustained relationship with a caring adult mentor, which is why Horizon is proud to support Big Brothers Big Sisters and their continued efforts to build confidence through mentorship. According to the Big Brothers Big Sisters 2017 Youth Outcomes Survey, 92% of Littles are more confident in school after one year of mentorship with a Big.

Horizon wants to power up passions that will lead to something stronger than bones: self-confidence! We want to celebrate passions leading to confiDANCES during this back-to-school season. You can show us your confiDANCE in any way that celebrates you! Anything can be a dance move if it shows your confidence!  Whether you scored the game-winning goal, snagged that A+ on your paper or got a delicious dinner on the table by 6pm – it’s all something to celebrate!

Horizon invites you to join in its support of Big Brothers Big Sisters, furthering the organization’s mission to help children realize their potential and confidently build their futures through one-to-one mentoring.  For every dance shared on Facebook or Instagram, Horizon Organic will donate $5 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, up to $200K. Just use #HorizonConfiDANCE. To be featured on the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay Facebook or Instagram page you can send your video to Kelli Serio at KelliS@BBBSTampaBay.org

Click here, to learn more.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay is announcing our newest program to help Littles beyond high school.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay is excited to introduce our newest program: Big Futures. This program will allow us to expand our services to continue helping Littles beyond their high school years. This program will serve Alumni Littles up to age 26 with support and guidance in making educational and career decisions with the goal that they are enrolled, enlisted or employed after high school and earning a living wage by age 26.

Big Futures will help set Alumni Littles up for success by assisting with career planning, enrolling in post-secondary education, assistance with financial aid, developing workplace skills, applying for scholarships, writing resumes, and applying and interviewing for jobs. This will be done in a few practical ways, such as:

• Goal setting and accountability
• Directing matches to resources that align with set goals
• Offering workshops and special events
• Developing community relationships that result in unique education and career opportunities for Alumni Littles

To apply for the Big Futures program, a Community-Based, Site-Based, or School-to-Work Little must have:

• Graduated from high school, or
• Will graduate high school in the Spring, or
• Is 18 years of age or older

If you are interested in applying for the Big Futures program or your organization would like to partner with us to provide services to our Alumni Littles, please reach out to Dallas Ruffin, 813-769-3618 or DallasR@BBBSTampaBay.org

For the first time in its 54-year history, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay agency has been named a Pinnacle Award winner for 2018 by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the nationwide mentoring organization’s highest honor.

The award, announced by the Big Brothers Big Sisters Nationwide Leadership Council, recognizes the very best local agencies for increasing their revenue and growing their overall number of Big & Little matches year-over-year for two or more consecutive years. In 2018, the Tampa Bay agency served a record 3,014 children, a 5.6 percent increase over 2017.

“This award is the result of a lot of hard, focused and strategic work by our dedicated staff, board and of course, our great volunteer Bigs.  It is also the result of our donors who believe in defending and inspiring the potential of the wonderful youth we are honored to serve through our evidence-based, outcome-oriented 1 to 1 mentoring programs” said Stephen Koch, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay.  “We know that there is a lot more work to be done, and we are more committed than ever to continuing to make a positive difference for thousands of additional children and youth who can benefit from having a Big Brother or Big Sister in their young lives.”

BBBS of Tampa Bay was one of only 6 agencies, from nearly 300 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies nationwide, that will be recognized as a Pinnacle Award winner at the national conference of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, being held in late June in Charlotte, N.C.

“We are so proud of the growth that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay has experienced, and we are pleased to recognize that success with the Pinnacle Award,” said Pam Iorio, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “We thank the agency for its tireless work in service of our mission and commitment to serving more children in the Tampa Bay area.”

Big Brothers and Big Sisters are adult volunteers (called “Bigs”) who are matched with children facing adversity (called “Littles”) for professionally-supported one-on-one mentoring. Last year BBBS of Tampa Bay served more than 3,000 children with positive role models throughout Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Polk, Citrus, Hernando and Citrus counties.

The impact of the relationships is significant, with 97 percent of children matched for more than a year in 2018 being promoted to the next grade level, and 98 percent avoiding any involvement with the juvenile justice system.

The other Pinnacle Award agencies for 2018 are from Milwaukee, Northeast Iowa, Southern Minnesota, El Dorado County (CA) and Southwest Idaho.

In stores nationwide from April 8^th – May 13^th, customers can purchase Moment cards to celebrate specific moments when mentors make a difference.

Every kid has potential. And little moments with a caring adult can help ignite it within them to do big things, whether it’s learning to tie a tie, practicing for an interview or getting help with homework. And you can help. Big Brothers Big Sisters has partnered with Nordstrom Rack to celebrate moments of mentoring. In stores across the United States from April 8^th – May 13^th, Nordstrom Rack customers can buy $10 Moment cards to celebrate specific moments when mentors make a difference:

• Practicing for an Interview
• Helping with Homework
• Prepping for Graduation
• Learning to Tie a Tie
• Training for Tryout

When you sponsor a moment, you give the gift of mentorship. In addition to the $10 Moment donations, customers can also donate $1 at the register with their purchase. $10 Moment donations and $1 donations are also available when making purchases online at NordstromRack.com and Hautelook.com. 100% of your donation will support matching kids with adult mentors so they can realize their potential.

Learn more at www.bbbs.org/nordstromrack.

Jeff Wagner was an inspiration to all that knew him. He had many roles he will be remembered for: loyal friend, #1 USF fan, a two-time cancer survivor, motivational speaker, and philanthropist But one of the roles he was most proud of was his time spent as a dedicated Big Brother. Jeff was a Big Brother with our Tampa Bay agency for 20 years. Over the years, he was matched with 3 Little Brothers. Jeff kept in regular contact with his two former Little Brothers, Corey and Brandon, who are now adults with their own families. And, for the past 8 years, he has been matched with his current Little Brother, Casey. “He truly was larger than life,” said Casey’s mom Crystal. “His courage, his strength, his passion for life, his kind heart and his love for everyone he knew … was like no other, and he would make sure you knew it.” Jeff was always there for his Littles, no matter what, and did everything he could to help them grow and succeed. Jeff also helped raise funds for BBBSTB and could frequently be found supporting the agency at one of our events or activities. Jeff will be greatly missed, and we know his legacy will live on through the impact he has had on his Little Brothers, and the entire agency.