Reconnecting our community

JUNE 2021 ISSUE

From the President & CEO

Dear friends,

As we see the colorful rainbow flags hanging in storefront windows, in corporate advertisements, and posted on social media, we know that it is Pride Month. It was in June of 1969 that members of the LGBTQIA+ community, particularly those of color, fought against police harassment at a gay bar called the Stonewall Inn. Now, we celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and demonstrate our support, not only through a symbols of allyship like the rainbow flag, but also through our commitment to equity, inclusion, and diversity all year long.

As an organization that has been foundational in Boston for 70 years now, we are constantly evolving. We are also an organization that has been and remains 100% invested in girls. Yet, what does that mean when we consider the spectrum of gender? At our core, we are a sisterhood, with a big tent for all who share our values. Under that tent is a safe space, a community free of judgment or harassment, welcoming to all who want to be a part of it. We are a sisterhood that is formed from our collective, collaborative strength.

At Big Sister we work toward creating a more inclusive space by first understanding the complex intersectional layers facing the LGBTQIA+ community. We then ensure that our policies, protocols, and practices are aligned with this knowledge. Our vision is that everyone who works at Big Sister feels valued, supported, and heard and that we celebrate and support the myriad identities of our Big and Little Sisters.

Pride Month is a time to reflect on and recognize the progress that we’ve made since the Stonewall riots, and, it’s a time to acknowledge that our journey toward creating a community in which everyone feels a sense of belonging is ongoing. We are proud to be a part of it.

In gratitude,

Deborah Re

We Want to Hear From You

As part of a larger initiative, Big Sister Boston is undertaking a brief, 3-minute survey of men and women living in the Greater Boston area.

Please click here to complete our survey. All are welcome to participate!

Big Sister Boston Receives
Quality Award

Since receiving the 2015 National Agency of the Year Award, Big Sister Boston has continued to be recognized every year for outstanding quality programs by the National Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Leadership Council. We are proud to receive the 2020 Quality Award in recognition of the number of girls served and the longevity and strength of our Big and Little Sister relationships, which exceed the national standards.

We wish to congratulate our staff on maintaining top quality practices and partnering with our Big and Little Sisters in service of successful relationships as they persevered through a challenging year.

Boston City Councilor At-Large Julia Mejia

Big Sister Leslie and Little Sister Harmony try out their new activity kits virtually

Big Sister Janine De Leon

Activity Kits: a Chance for Connection

On June 5, Big Sister staff and volunteers gathered at the Curtis Hall Community Center in Jamaica Plain to distribute Big Sister in a Box activity kits to 150 Big and Little Sisters. The kits were intentionally designed to take Big and Little Sisters through cultural journeys by way of science or arts and crafts activities they could do together. The program was developed to give our new Big and Little Sister matches a meaningful activity and shared experience to help strengthen their relationships.

However, our Big and Little Sisters weren't the only ones connecting over the kits--for most of our staff who have been working remotely during the pandemic, the day offered the first opportunity to interact with each other in person in more than a year!

The Big Sister in a Box activity kits were made possible by funding from the Nellie Mae Foundation as well as individual donors in the Big Sister Boston community.

Two Surprise Grant Awards!

Earlier this month we were the proud recipient of two surprise grant awards. Both came from long-time philanthropic partners: The Boston Foundation ($10,000) and the Cummings Foundation ($35,000). This funding will directly support our mentoring and enrichment programs for girls. It comes at a critical time when we are emerging from the pandemic and seeing the detrimental effects that it continues to have on youth, especially girls. During the pandemic, a national survey reported that 79% of girls felt more lonely and isolated than before. This data highlights the increased importance for girls to have a trusted adult friend in their lives with whom they can build a connection.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Big Sister Boston has tons of fun ways to support our mentoring programs this summer!

Junior Advisory Board Fundraiser

Help fund leadership and career preparedness opportunities for teen girls in our programs--and get yourself a cool t-shirt, hoodie, or crewneck while you're at it!

Click here to order yours by June 26.

Get Your Tickets for our 33rd Annual Car Raffle

Drawing Date: Thursday, July 29
1:00 PM

Get your tickets today for our 33rd Annual Car Raffle and you'll be entered to win your choice of a brand new BMW 430i convertible or $40,000 cash!

Only 1,951 tickets will be sold - get yours before they are gone!

Conversations Among Women: Reclaiming Our Block

Saturday, June 26
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Virtual

Join Big Sister Boston's Diversity Board for the latest installment in this discussion series. Hear perspectives from community members and join the conversation yourself!

Click here to register.

Big in Boston 2021

Thursday, October 7
5:00 PM
Boston Children's Museum

Who's that girl? Find out when we celebrate our 70th anniversary at Big in Boston on October 7. We're going in-person this year, and can't wait to see you there!

Click here for event website.

Give & Get

Support Big Sister at Stop & Shop in July

For the month of July 2021, Big Sister Boston will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at the Stop & Shop store located at 713 East Broadway, South Boston MA.

Shop Global, Give Local

AmazonSmile customers can support Big Sister Association of Greater Boston in the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones! Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations.

Open the Amazon Shopping app on your device
Go into the main menu of the Amazon Shopping app and tap into 'Settings'
Tap 'AmazonSmile' and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process

If you do not have the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app, update your app. Click here for instructions.

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