Contribution will directly fund the creation of new one-to-one relationships at organization’s school-based program at Raub Middle School
Allentown, PA — December 9, 2014 — Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley recently received a $2,500 grant from Fox & Roach Charities to help support its new school-based mentoring program at Raub Middle School in the Allentown School District.
The program, which has been partially funded by United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, will pair carefully trained student mentors (Bigs) from Cedar Crest College with children (Littles) from Raub Middle School.
Susan Bartels, Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley’s CEO, said that the agency hopes to see the new school-based program grow to serve 15 matches.
“We’re excited that Fox & Roach Charities has chosen to invest in our school-based program at Raub Middle School,” Bartels added. “Our school-based mentoring model has been shown to help children in key areas, including academic performance, avoidance of risky behaviors, truancy reduction and social acceptance. Fox & Roach’s generosity will be essential in helping our Littles achieve these goals.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley also manages a host of additional school-based mentoring programs in several of the area’s largest school districts, including Allentown, Bethlehem Area, Easton Area and Whitehall-Coplay School Districts. The agency has experienced a growth of 134% in the number of children served since 2010, due largely to the rapid growth of its school-based mentoring programs in these districts.
Contact:
Alex Dapkewicz, Marketing & Development Manager
About Big Brothers Big Sisters Lehigh Valley
For over 40 years, 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. Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Survey Report reinforces the mentoring program’s evidence base of positive academic, socio-emotional and behavioral outcomes for youth, areas linked to high school graduation, avoidance of juvenile delinquency and college or job readiness.
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.
