Subaru Employees Share the Love with Big Brothers Big Sisters

CAMDEN, N.J., Dec. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- With paint in their hair and smiles on their faces, Subaru of America employees got a first-hand look today at the power of Big Brothers Big Sisters' mentoring relationships.  To celebrate the company's national "Share the Love" campaign, employees created a mosaic with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties mentors and mentees and experienced how Subaru's support of the long-term mentoring program helps kids who face adversity beat the odds.

Employees from Subaru's national headquarters in Cherry Hill, N.J., teamed with Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors and mentee pairs to experience how their shared activities build the kids' confidence, improving their school performance and behavior.  The employees also gave the mentoring pairs holiday gift cards, games and other activity presents to share during future outings.

"Big Brothers Big Sisters is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of children facing adversity," said Karen J. Mathis, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, who also participated in the event.  "Support from companies like Subaru is imperative in helping us support families that seek our help to break cycles too often linked to children living in poverty, single-parent homes, or households where a parent is incarcerated.  The employees' time and generous gift drive were a wonderful way for participants in our program to understand that through 'Share the Love,' Subaru contributes to Big Brothers Big Sisters' success and growth."

Mathis joined representatives from the local Big Brothers Big Sisters agency, Subaru employees and the mentor-mentee pairs as they created a mosaic for the wall at Camden's Sacred Heart Elementary School. The mentors are students from Creative Arts High School who meet with the Sacred Heart youngsters weekly.  The artwork will be a lasting memory of the Subaru "Share the Love" experience.

"The 'Share the Love' Event has been an amazing opportunity for Subaru employees to see their support in action and to understand the importance of professionally supported carefully matched mentoring relationships that thrive through committed, consistent shared activities," said Rob Jakubowski, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Burlington, Camden and Gloucester Counties. "Subaru's support of our program goes a long way in allowing us to build more partnerships with schools and community organizations, to sustain these important mentoring relationships, and expand our reach to more children, families and volunteers."  

Today's event is part of Subaru of America's third annual "Share the Love" program, a larger campaign based on the notion that Subaru drivers love both their Subarus and giving back to worthy causes.  From now through January 3, 2011 at Subaru dealerships across the country, for every new vehicle that is purchased or leased, Subaru will donate $250 to one of five charities, including Big Brothers Big Sisters. Since 2008, Subaru owners have helped the company donate nearly $10 million to national charities through the "Share the Love" Event.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters

For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. Most children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters are in single-parent and low-income families or households where a parent is incarcerated. As the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and children ("Littles").

Big Brothers Big Sisters provides a system of ongoing evaluation and support that is proven by independent studies to help families by improving the odds that "Littles" will perform better in school and avoid violence and illegal activities, and have stronger relationships with their parents and others. Headquartered in Philadelphia with a network of nearly 400 agencies across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves more than 255,000 children. Learn how you can positively impact a child's life, donate, or volunteer at BigBrothersBigSisters.org

SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters