It starts with a Little.

Since 1967, Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Fredericksburg has been changing children's lives by matching them with a one-to-one mentor to guide them on a path to success.

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Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Fredericksburg Honored

Big Brothers Big Sisters Greater Fredericksburg has been recognized as a 2020 Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Quality Award winner. Every year, the BBBSA nationwide leadership council, made up of local Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate leaders and board members, selects affiliates for excellence in the 1-to-1 mentoring program, which ignites the power and promise of youth. Despite the challenges of the past year, including the pandemic, social unrest and economic uncertainty, 49 out of the 236 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country received top honors in quality.

“Even during this challenging year for nonprofits in our region, the staff of Big Brothers Big Sisters continued to uphold the highest national standards of quality for our mentoring program,” said Michelle Hedrich, Executive Director of BBBS Greater Fredericksburg. “With the investment of our board and donors, we strengthened our community by providing individualized support to children and families.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters was founded more than 100 years ago as an organization focused on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. It grew out of a need to offer an alternative path for youth facing the juvenile justice system. The program is based on in-person connections, but social distancing due to the pandemic prompted local affiliates to find innovative ways for volunteer mentors (Bigs) to stay connected with their mentees (Littles). Staff provided support and coaching using a virtual model; they also found ways to connect Bigs, Littles and their families with additional community resources.

“Over the past several months, I’ve heard from BBBS leaders in rural towns and metropolitan communities, those in the suburbs and every place in between,” said Artis Stevens, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “And there’s one theme I’ve noticed everywhere, and that’s the power of resilience. We congratulate these affiliates for earning these top honors. The level of commitment and dedication is outstanding, to see staff doing all they can to make sure our youth will not only survive these challenging times but thrive.”

The Quality Award winners were formally recognized at the 2021 virtual Bigger Together BBBSA national conference in June.

Giving Through Donor Advised Funds

Did you know that BBBSFRED accepts donations from Donor Advised Funds (DAF)?  Grant designations can easily be made to BBBS Greater Fredericksburg through the DAF Direct box here. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT DONOR ADVISED FUNDS

COMCAST INTERNET ESSENTIALS FREE INTERNET OFFER

Free Internet for 2 month offer extended to June 30th by @Comcast through their Internet Essentials program for low income families.  For many years, Comcast has joined with schools, local municipalities and non-profits to find collaborative solutions to overcome the digital divide.  Big Brothers Big Sisters commends Comcast’s extraordinary corporate social responsibility and philanthropy in response to the COVID-19 crisis.  #DefendersofPotential   https://www.internetessentials.com/covid19

LEARN MORE ABOUT INTERNET ESSENTIALS

COMMUNITY RELIEF FUND GRANT

To the generous donors to the Community Relief Fund and the hard working staff of the Community Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters says THANKS!! 

We have been awarded a grant to allow BBBS to offer timely communication, support and outreach to keep kids connected and foster resilience for our Bigs, Littles and their families. 

This project is made possible by a grant from
The Community Relief Fund of Fund of The Community Foundation

#KeepKidsConnected #TheCommunityFoundation #BiggerTogether

How does Big Brothers Big Sisters help Kasaius?

Matching Relationship Management Activities Screening and Training

Matching

When Big Brothers Big Sisters works to match a Little with a Big, we take into account the needs, personality, interests, and goals of both the child and the adult volunteer. We introduce the Little and his or her family to the Big slowly and make sure everyone is fully committed to the match before it is made official. Little Brother Kasaius is outgoing and up for anything, so he needed a Big who was creative and had a variety of interests.

Relationship Management

Children like Kasaius get the most out of their one-to-one relationship with their Big when the Big, the parent or guardian, and the child talk openly with their Match Support Specialist. Working as part of the team helping the child succeed, the Match Support Specialist can help identify problems, brainstorm solutions, and connect the family with essential services.

Activities

When Kasaius’ Big Brother saw the email from BBBS saying that there were spots open in a free acting class, he jumped at the chance to take Kasaius. BBBS affiliates across the country provide activities for Bigs and Littles and also alert Bigs to opportunities in the community. This enables Bigs to get to know other Bigs, who might be experiencing similar things and who might have great suggestions for more new activities.

Screening and Training

Child safety is Big Brothers Big Sisters’ highest priority. To achieve the highest standards possible, we work constantly to review and strengthen our background check systems as new best practices in the industry emerge. We also make sure our Bigs and our staff have the training and resources they need to help Littles on their path to success.