ST CLOUD, MN (June 28, 2022) –
Amongst their peers at the national conference, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota has been recognized by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) in three distinct areas. The local agency was selected to receive the Gold Standard Award. Every year, the BBBSA Nationwide Leadership Council, made up of local Big Brothers Big Sisters agency leaders and board members, selects agencies for excellence in the organization’s signature 1-to-1 youth mentoring program. Out of 230+ agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota is one of only 12 organizations to receive this top honor.
The Gold Standard Award recognizes agencies that have increased their revenue and grown the number of mentors (“Bigs”) and youth (“Littles”) who are matched through the program. In the past year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota has grown its local services by 7% percent. Another criterion is to have higher-than-average national match retention rates, which the organization exceeded by an average of 12.5%.
In addition to the Gold Standard Award, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota also won national awards for Board of the Year and a Biggie Award. The Board of the Year award looked at criteria that included: engagement, governance, oversite, and growth.
This year was the first time the national office selected award winners for marketing. The Central MN affiliate received the Biggie Award for an annual report, which can be found on their website, BigDefenders.org.
“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 Jackie Johnson, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota. “We strive every day to support local youth through mentorship. It is truly a testament to the life-changing work done by our staff, board, and volunteers, which is supported by our funders and donors.”
For over 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been dedicated to advancing equity, impact, and growth across the organization, making a lasting impact on the lives of young people. Today, the organization creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships helping build self-confidence and emotional well-being, and empowering young people on a path to graduate with a plan for their futures and a mentor whose impact can last a lifetime.
“Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country are finding innovative ways to serve young people and strengthen communities,” said BBBSA President and CEO Artis Stevens. “We congratulate these agencies for leading the way in transforming mentorship for our communities, and most importantly, our young people.”
