Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Reignites Its Commitment To Inspiring Youth Through Mentorship During Its National "Bigger Together" Conference

TAMPA, Fla., June 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), the largest and most experienced youth mentoring organization in the United States, is hosting its annual National Bigger Together Conference virtually, beginning June 28 through July 1. The annual conference welcomes the organization's network of more than 230 agencies, to be a part of and strengthen the conversation around BBBSA's commitment to youth development, and its goal to accelerate impact as the most diverse, mission-driven, youth empowerment organization. The four-day conference will offer insightful workshops, panel discussions, dynamic conversations, and keynotes, focusing on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI).

The conference kicks off with a keynote from Artis Stevens, the first Black president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in its 117-year history, where he plans to emphasize the importance of inspiring our youth, while also honoring the organization's milestones, and recognizing the economic and environmental hardships that have influenced communities across the country this past year. Stevens will highlight the organization's plans for strategic partnerships with a focus on improving JEDI practices, the expansion of BBBSA's one-to-one mentoring model – an intentional, holistic approach building positive relationships and essential skills for life-changing outcomes, and the establishment of a National Youth Advisory Council bringing young people's ideas, insights, and input to the table.

"This year's conference marks an exciting milestone for Big Brothers Big Sisters, as we focus on how we can further amplify our purpose which is, and always has been, to ensure all kids reach their full potential," said Artis Stevens, President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. "Youth empowerment is at the center of our governance, and through the support of our corporate partners, along with our agencies nationwide, we are committed to expanding our delivery model with our capabilities, scale and commitment."

During the conference, BBBSA will announce over $2.6 million in collective investment from new partners like Merrell, Express, KFC, UPS Foundation and others, that are committed to empowering young people along a journey to positively impact their lives, their communities, and the world. Thought leaders, influential trailblazers and supporters at Fortune 500 companies and organizations such as Starbucks, Comcast NBCUniversal, Nike and SHRM will also come together for meaningful dialogues to discuss key pillars of JEDI, share inspiring stories, and personal experiences.

In partnership with iHeartMedia and Influential, BBBSA will also unveil this year's National Bigs and Littles of the Year.  Each year, BBBSA chooses two volunteer mentors ("Bigs") and two youth ("Littles") out of nearly 280,000 Bigs and Littles from across the country. Winners are recognized for their inspiring stories, progress and dedication to the program. This year's winners will be announced at 7:00pm ET on July 1, during the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Bigger Together Celebration being streamed on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BBBSA.

For more information and to learn more about the conference, please visit: https://conference.bbbs.org/.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Founded in 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the largest and most experienced youth mentoring organization in the United States. The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters' evidence-based approach is designed to create positive youth outcomes, including educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and improved relationships. Big Brothers Big Sisters has over 230 local agencies serving more than 5,000 communities across all 50 states. For more information, visit: www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org. 

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

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