Congressman Fattah to Accept Award Recognizing His National Leadership for Youth Mentoring

Following the recognition, Fattah will announce a signature piece of legislation channeling unprecedented sums of money towards youth mentoring programs

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 21, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (PA-02) will be honored tonight in Philadelphia for his leadership in making youth mentoring a national priority.  Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) will present Fattah with a Philadelphia Legacy Award marking his commitment to mentoring, while recognizing Philadelphia as the home of the mentoring movement.

Following tonight's honors, Fattah will unveil a piece of legislation Friday at Philadelphia's Science Leadership Academy –a local magnet high school – that will direct millions of funds towards youth mentoring and two other programs that will help ensure America's global competitiveness. The Corporation for National and Community Service estimates that there are 14.6 million youth in the United States, across all socioeconomic backgrounds, that could benefit from a mentoring relationship.

"It is an honor to be recognized by my friends at Big Brothers Big Sisters tonight, and I share this award with all of the mentees in our community—and across the country—who work every day to make a difference in the lives of young people in America," Congressman Fattah said. "Mentoring must be a national priority—it is too important to the future of our next generation, and the future of our country, not to be. We must continue our outreach and advocacy, and work to ensure that every one of our children has access to a mentoring program."

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, which has 340 local agencies, including Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, is also recognizing Comcast NBCUniversal.  The company six years ago launched Big Brothers Big Sisters' John Alchin Beyond School Walls program, the nation's first and largest workplace mentoring program.  The program, which started at the company's Philadelphia headquarters, serves children in 13 markets. Tonight's event is part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America's recognition of individuals who have contributed to its Philadelphia foundation. 

Fattah has been one of BBBSA's key champions in Congress, and last year was honored with the organization's National Leadership Award.  As Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Science, Justice (CJS) and related agencies, Congressman Fattah has garnered support for, and steered millions of dollars towards Department of Justice programs that support mentoring to at-risk youth. In addition to his work as the architect of GEAR UP, which provides mentoring services as part of its mission to prepare students for college, he has also forged historic mentoring partnerships between public and private entities, including the American Innovation and Mentorship (AIM) Agreement with NASA to offer STEM opportunities at Boys and Girls Clubs across the country.

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah