Community Foundation awards funding to Big Brothers Big Sisters

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SIDNEY — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County has announced it is the recipient of a $1,000 grant award from The Community Foundation of Shelby County and the Roscoe Beanblossom Fund. The Community Foundation of Shelby County makes a difference by awarding local organizations with grants that come from several sources, including gifts and earnings from the Roscoe Beanblossom Fund that supports Shelby County youth.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a non-profit organization that offers a unique, one-to-one mentoring model that develops relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Their invaluable program, Big Buddies, is an eight-month mentoring commitment that runs October to May and matches high school students with elementary age students in the three Sidney City elementary schools located in Shelby County. For the upcoming school year, the Big Buddies curriculum focus is on “Mental Wellbeing & the Senses.” With this curriculum, Big Brothers Big Sisters will help children make the connection between physical and mental health through focusing on self-care and finding ways to make health a bigger part of their lives. The $1,000 award from The Community Foundation of Shelby County will enable Big Brothers Big Sisters to provide curriculum materials for each session that occurs twice a month, as well as be able to provide snacks for the Littles and high school volunteers in the program.

Big Buddies is just one of several programs that Big Brothers Big Sisters facilitates within the community. Our well-known community-based program matches Shelby and Darke County adult mentors, who serve as positive role models, with Littles within their county. After going through our delicate application and screening process, Big Brothers Big Sisters’ professional staff matches adult mentors with Littles based on shared interests, personality characteristics, and goals for the future. Matches then meet with each other twice a month for outings which are planned around the volunteer and Littles own schedules.

Executive Director, Katie Price shared, “Thank you to the Shelby County Community Foundation for generously supporting our mission by providing funds for our Buddies programs this coming school year. Because of this partnership, we are able to provide high-quality programming and exceptional mentorship to all of the students involved. We hold this partnership dearly, and we are overwhelmingly grateful to be recipients of this grant. Together, we are helping all youth achieve their full potential!”

The organization is currently recruiting Bigs and Littles for both our Site-based and Community-based programs. If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a mentor, call the Sidney office at 937-492-7611 or the Greenville office at 937-547-9622. You can also visit the website at www.bigbrobigsis-shelbydarke.org for more information. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a United Way Partner agency for both Shelby and Darke Counties.

Sidney High School senior Natalee Clack, daughter of Lance and Stephanie Clack, with her Little Taylyn Davis, grandson of Sharon Henderson.
https://www.sidneydailynews.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/47/2022/09/web1_BBBS.jpgSidney High School senior Natalee Clack, daughter of Lance and Stephanie Clack, with her Little Taylyn Davis, grandson of Sharon Henderson. Courtesy photo

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