Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley Announced as a Big Brothers Big Sisters 2015 Gold Standard Award Winner
Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley Honored for Leadership, Growth and Dedication to Helping Area Youth
Allentown, PA, August 2016 – Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley (BBBSLV) is proud to announce that the Big Brothers Big Sisters National Leadership Council has identified BBBSLV as a Big Brothers Big Sisters 2015 Gold Standard Award Winner. BBBSLV is in its 46th year of serving area youth through mentorship matches.
The Gold Standard Award recognizes the agencies that have increased their revenue by at least 5 percent and grew the number of matches, year over year. In the past year, BBBSLV has served 394 children and grown its local services by 13.5% percent.
“Awards like this are never a singular accomplishment. This is not just a Big Brothers Big Sisters achievement. It signals growth for our entire community,” said Susan Bartels, CEO of BBBSLV. “We strive every day to support children through mentorship. It is truly a testament to the collaborative work of the agency staff and board of directors.”
“This kind of growth is only possible through the dedication of the affiliate staff, board, donors and volunteers,” said Pam Iorio, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “We thank BBBSLV for constantly pursuing growth in order to serve more children in the Lehigh Valley.”
Out of more than 300 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies, BBBSLV is one of only 17 agencies that was recognized as Gold Standard Award Winners at the 2016 Big Brothers Big Sisters National Conference in Orlando, Florida.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley
Since 1970, Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, holds itself accountable for children in its program to achieve measurable outcomes, such as educational success; avoidance of risky behaviors; and higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships. Partnering with parents/guardians, schools, corporations and others in the community, Big Brothers Big Sisters carefully pairs children (“Littles”) with qualified, trained, and screened volunteers (“Bigs”) and monitors and supports these one-to-one mentoring matches throughout their course.
In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley, a United Way Partner Agency, served 394 Lehigh and Northampton County children in one-to-one mentoring relationships.
Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity, often those of single or low-income households or families where a parent is incarcerated or serving in the military, with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization’s 100-year history. The organization is engaged in a nationwide search to reunite with alumni mentors, mentees, donors, and family, staff and board members. Learn how you can volunteer or donate—visit www.bbbslv.org.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Big Brothers Big Sisters ensures that the children in its program achieve such measurable outcomes as educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships. This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization’s 111-year history. With over 300 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves nearly 170,000 children (“Littles”), their families and 170,000 volunteer mentors (“Bigs”). Learn more at www.BigBrothersBigSisters.org.
Information Provided By:
Susan Bartels
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lehigh Valley
www.bbbslv.org
