Big Brothers Big Sisters Forms New Alumni + Friends Association

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

GoLocalWorcester Lifestyle Team

Rebecca Joseph, Co-Founder Alumni & Friends Association and Middle Market Underwriter for Hanover Insurance Group, Melanie Perreault, Coordinator, BBBS

As part of Big Brothers Big Sisters National Organization’s “Reunite Now” campaign, former mentors “Bigs” and mentees “Littles” are being encouraged to reconnect with the organization and each other. In Worcester, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest has taken it a step further and is seeking young professionals age 21-40 who want to make a difference in the lives of at-risk kids.

“Last year, we celebrated our 50^th anniversary and realized that we have a vast network of current and former Bigs who are passionate about our mission and want to help promote our agency in any way they can," explained Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest CEO Jeffrey Chin. "With the help of some great young, ambitious, and local professionals who are either current or former Bigs, we formed the Alumni & Friends Association. The newly formed Alumni & Friends Association will provide a unique networking opportunity for young professionals, age 21-40, who live or work in the 40 communities throughout Worcester County and Metrowest/Middlesex County that we serve.”

Creating Opportunities to reconnect

Alumni & Friends Association members will be able to get involved with volunteer projects to help Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest further its mission. This may include fundraising events, volunteering for agency events, mentoring, organizing trainings for Bigs/Littles, and more. CEO Chin wanted to create an opportunity for past Littles to reconnect with the program and reengage with the community. This program will offer them a way to connect with the agency or be mentored until they are ready to fly and become Bigs themselves.

According to co-founder (and Big) Rebecca Joseph of Hanover Insurance Group, “We are planning quarterly events, and ultimately monthly events, focused on benefiting BBBS as well as providing that invaluable local networking community for young professionals. When Jeff approached me to start the group, I thought it was a great idea.”

The first Alumni & Friends Association event, held at Jillian's of Worcester in February of 2014, collected crafts and games to help out local programs and provided time for young professionals to network. The initial event drew staff from area companies such as Hanover Insurance and Unum. The next event for Alumni & Friends will support the “The Big Celebration” BBBS annual fundraiser on May 31^st. The event will be held at the Collings Foundation Aviation Museum in Stowe. Alumni & Friends is helping by collecting donations from local businesses for silent auction items as well as donations of gift cards in any denomination.

Seeking under-40 professionals

Under-40 professionals from throughout the area are invited to step up and be the Friends part of the Alumni & Friends Association. The organization will help young professionals create a close network of peers while being given the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of kids at risk. Members can act as mentors or help with promotion, recruitment, or fundraising while expanding their network of social or professional connections.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Mass/Metrowest offers site-based mentoring so that volunteers like Joseph are able to meet with their Little Brother or Little Sister at lunch at their school. The agency matches local volunteers with children at school-based or after-school sites. After being matched, each Big and Little will choose a time and meet once a week, typically for about an hour. The matches will be able to engage in activities of their choice at the site, such as going to the gym to play basketball or doing arts and crafts together. Periodically, a Match Support Specialist will check in with the Big and Little and offer support, suggestions, and opportunities for the match to engage in. Community-based mentoring is also offered.

This innovative pairing appeals strongly to corporations as it allows their employees to do something great for the community and give back during their work day. The site-based program is reliable, convenient, and enables executives to do community service in urban areas. It also has an unexpected benefit for the corporations. According to Chin, “corporations that partner have found it improves productivity and retention of their employees who work better, stay happier, and as a result, stay longer!”

For Joseph, life is richer because of her involvement in the organization. “My Little is now in 4th grade. Her perspective on life is so different from mine. Seeing things through her eyes and sharing her excitement keeps me engaged in the program. Worcester Arts Magnet School has such a great art program. As a dancer, I love assisting kids with their dance and singing routines and seeing the joy on their faces. It makes me feel so good to share that hour every week.”

To become a member of the Alumni & Friends Association, contact Melanie Perreault at [email protected] or (508) 353-9570.

Related Slideshow: The Most and Least Charitable Communities in Central MA

Below are the most—and least—charitable towns in Central Massachusetts. Towns were ranked by how much of local median discretionary income was donated to a charitable cause. The data is taken from the Chronicle for Philanthropy, using IRS records on charitable giving as reported on individual tax returns in 2008, the latest available year.

For each listed town, the total contributions are provided, along with the median contribution, the median discretionary income, and the percent donated. A state and national ranking is also included. State rankings are based on the percent of income donated, while national rankings are based on total contributions.

Note: No data was available for the towns of Tolland, Phillipstown, and Templeton.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Forms New Alumni + Friends Association

Related Slideshow: The Most and Least Charitable Communities in Central MA

#70

Hardwick

#69

Winchendon

#68

Townsend

#67

Webster

#66

Oxford

#65

Millville

#64

Shirley

#63

Athol

#62

Blackstone

#61

Gardner

#60

Rutland

#59

Ayer

#58

Brimfield

#57

Douglas

#56

Ware

#55

Bellingham

#54

Palmer

#53

Ashburnham

#52

Mendon

#51

Orange

#50

Sutton

#49

Leicester

#48

Hopedale

#47

Millbury

#46

Brookfield

#45

Upton

#44

Dudley

#43

West Brookfield

#42

Hubbardston

#41

Hudson

#40

Charlton

#39

Sturbridge

#38

Spencer

#37

Barre

#36

Auburn

#35

New Braintree

#34

Grafton

#33

Westminster

#32

Granville