FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
May 31, 2017
MEDIA CONTACT:
Leanna Bernhard
Profiles, Inc.
410-243-3790
Big Brothers Big Sisters Program to Become a New Program of the Y in Central Maryland
Given aligned missions and an enhanced ability to serve youth, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake will transition its program operations to the Y in Central Maryland, which will become the local affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
(Baltimore, MD) Effective July 1, 2017, the Y in Central Maryland will become the local affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, with the current local affiliate, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake, transferring the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) programs and the title of local affiliate to the Y in Central Maryland. Existing mentoring programs and matches will continue, uninterrupted, as ”Big Brothers Big Sisters at the Y,” serving the over 600 mentor/mentee matches currently in place. Most current Big Brothers Big Sisters employees will transition to the Y and continue to serve in their current roles.
Steve Lambertson, Chair of the Board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake, explained that “through the Y, the Big Brothers Big Sisters mission remains intact but now as a program of the Y, the mentors, mentees and their families can connect to a continuum of healthy activities and opportunities that we could not begin to match as a standalone entity. The Y is deeply committed to and engaged in mentoring, and this transition enables our youth and mentors to benefit from a broader set of resources and infrastructure. Mentors, mentees and their families can connect to any number of healthy activities and programs that serve the Y community. We are proud of the work we have done at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake and are grateful to the Y in Central Maryland for their commitment to continuing the vital mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters.”
Tom Brandt, Chair of the Board of the Y in Central Maryland, said, “We thank the Board, funders and leadership of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake for their confidence that the Y in Central Maryland will effectively continue this valuable mentoring program. Young people today, especially youth on the margins, are vulnerable to many negative and debilitating influences, and mentoring by caring adults can be life-changing. The Y leadership is proud to continue the work of the Big Brothers Big Sisters by adding it to our capacity to reach Baltimore area youth who need an extra measure of care and support.”
John Hoey, President & CEO of the Y in Central Maryland added, “We have been engaged in mentoring work for many years, and have enormous respect for the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters. We believe that mentoring is a vitally important component to the healthy development of youth. There are currently over 600 young people being served by this program who need the presence of a caring, responsible adult in their life, and the Y is well-equipped to give that support.”
This decision and plan were reached in consultation with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. “Big Brothers Big Sisters at the Y” will maintain the BBBS mission, operated under the Y’s existing Youth Development umbrella. Youth Development at the Y in Central Maryland supports at risk youth at all ages and in myriad settings, reaching over 110,000 young people annually, with over 15,000 served through Y grant-funded programs. Y Youth Development programing includes preschool, Head Start, camps, summer learning programs, before and after school enrichment, mentoring, community schools, youth sports and more. Existing Y mentoring programs include Reach & Rise, Y Achievers and Badges for Baseball, a partnership with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation.
Most of the current 23 employees of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake will be hired to do their same roles at the Y and an advisory board that includes several former Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake board members will be formed to help guide the programs going forward.
Our Mission:
The Y in Central Maryland is a charitable organization dedicated to developing the full potential of every individual through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all.
Our Commitment:
At the Y, we are committed to providing family-oriented, affordable, high quality programs.
A cause driven organization with three areas of vital focus:
- For Youth Development: nurturing the potential of every child and teen
- For Healthy Living: improving our community’s health & well-being
- For Social Responsibility: giving back and providing support for our neighbors
The Y is a place for everyone. People of all races, ages, faiths, gender, abilities, backgrounds and incomes are welcome and financial assistance on a sliding scale is available to those who would otherwise be unable to participate.
Our Values:
Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility