IRVING, Texas, Feb. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Brothers Big Sisters is celebrating Black History Month 2014 by asking supporters to share an exclusive Black History Month social media badge created by the organization. Big Brothers Big Sisters is also retooling its MentoringBrothers.org website and with new functionality and features that celebrate the work of national partners and mentors throughout the country who are investing volunteer hours and financial support to help develop tomorrow's African American history makers.
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MentoringBrothers.org, powered by Big Brothers Big Sisters, debuted in 2012 as a revamped web tool designed to serve as the nation's central source for in-depth, interactive resources for African American men looking for ways to support one-to-one mentoring.
The 2014 changes or "re-boot" will include the rollout of online interviews with African American Big Brothers Big Sisters alumni "Littles" who have gone on to positions of leadership across the country. The first to be featured will be Charlotte, N.C., Mayor Patrick Cannon, a former Little Brother who will share the story of how he got involved in the program and how it contributed to his success.
New video features on the site will profile members of the nation's three largest African American fraternities: Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi and Omega Psi Phi, which, as part of a unique collaboration, are leading the effort to recruit more Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors and donors.
Alpha Phi Alpha General President Mark Tillman, Dale Long of Alpha Phi Alpha, Archie Burks of Kappa Alpha Psi and Chuck Matthews of Omega Psi Phi –all Big Brothers—appear in the video.
"MentoringBrothers.org has helped us raise our profile in the African American community and attract more black male mentors and donors," said Big Brothers Big Sisters of America President and CEO Charles Pierson. "These changes to the site will boost social media as we continue to strengthen our partnerships to better serve African American children, families and communities."
Like the children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters' 338 local agencies, more than 40 percent of the 30,000 children who are waiting for a Big Brothers Big Sisters' mentor are African American-- with boys representing the largest numbers. And while Big Brothers Big Sisters has seen a small uptick in the numbers of African American Big Brothers, only 15 percent of its male mentors are black.
Big Brothers Big Sisters provides one-to-one professionally supported mentoring and consistently tracks results. Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Survey™ (YOS) data find 94 percent of Littles, in community-based Big Brothers Big Sisters matches, maintained or improved in their attitudes and avoided risky behaviors; 88 percent maintained or improved in parental trust; and 83 percent maintained or improved in scholastic competence.
To learn how you can help celebrate Big Brothers Big Sisters "Bigs" during Black History Month, go to MentoringBrothers.org.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters
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, 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 screened volunteer mentors ("Bigs") and monitors and supports these one-to-one mentoring matches throughout their course. The Big Brothers Big Sisters Youth Outcomes Survey substantiates that its mentoring programs have proven, 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 110 year history. With nearly 340 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves approximately 600,000 children, volunteers and families. The organization is engaged in a nationwide search to reunite with alumni mentors, mentees, donors, and family, staff and board members. Learn more at www.BigBrothersBigSisters.org or www.mentoringbrothers.org
SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters
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