Big Brothers And Big Sisters Of Greater Miami

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF MIAMI IS THE PREMIER MENTORING ORGANIZATION THAT SEEKS TO CREATE AND SUPPORT ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS THAT IGNITE THE POWER AND PROMISE OF YOUTH.

BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF MIAMI, INC. (THE ORGANIZATION") IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION AND A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL FEDERATION BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA. THE ORGANIZATION RECOGNIZES THAT ALL YOUTH HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO BIG THINGS. THAT IS THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH BBBS OF AMERICA WAS FOUNDED - AND UPON WHICH THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO WORK TODAY.IN 1904, A COURT CLERK SAW MORE AND MORE YOUNG BOYS ENTERING THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. HE RECOGNIZED THAT THESE BOYS HAD ONE THING IN COMMON - NONE OF THEM HAD POSITIVE ROLE MODELS. THEREFORE, THIS CLERK RECRUITED VOLUNTEERS TO BEFRIEND THESE BOYS AND HELP THEM STAY OUT OF TROUBLE, STARTING THE BIG BROTHERS MOVEMENT. SEPARATELY, A GROUP CALLED LADIES OF CHARITY BEGAN A SIMILAR MOVEMENT FOR YOUNG GIRLS, BEFRIENDING THOSE WHO HAD COME THROUGH NEW YORK CHILDREN'S COURT. IN 1977, THE GROUPS JOINED FORCED TO BECOME BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA, THE OLDEST AND LARGEST MENTORING ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY.IN 1958, MIAMI'S BIG BROTHERS MOVEMENT BEGAN IN A SIMILAR FASHION, LATER MERGING WITH A LOCAL BIG SISTERS MOVEMENT THAT STARTED AROUND THE SAME TIME. TODAY, AT THIS CRITICAL POINT IN THE SOCIAL JUSTICE AND RACIAL EQUITY CONVERSATION, THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES ITS SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK OF MENTORING MIAMI'S YOUTH AND EMPHASIZES THE INNOVATIVE WAYS IT ADDRESSES RACIAL INEQUITIES IN OUR COMMUNITY AND BUILDS MUTUAL RESPECT AMONG ALL COMMUNITIES. TO DO THIS, THE ORGANIZATION WORKS TOWARD THE MISSION OF CREATING AND SUPPORTING ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS THAT IGNITE THE POWER AND PROMISE OF YOUTH.FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS, THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN SOUTH FLORIDA'S PREMIER MENTORING ORGANIZATION, DEFENDING THE POTENTIAL OF FUTURE LEADERS IN THE COMMUNITY BY MATCHING AT-RISK YOUTH ("LITTLES") WITH COMMITTED ADULT MENTORS ("BIGS"). THESE RELATIONSHIPS - STRATEGICALLY MATCHED BASED ON LITTLES' NEEDS AND BIGS' BACKGROUNDS AND SKILLS, AS WELL AS COMMON INTERESTS AND PERSONALITIES - EMPOWER LITTLES TO ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND BECOME PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.BUILDING UPON THE CORE ONE-TO-ONE COMMUNITY-BASED MENTORING MODEL IN WHICH BIGS AND LITTLES EXPLORE THE LOCAL (OR VIRTUAL) COMMUNITY TOGETHER, THE ORGANIZATION HAS DEVELOPED INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS TO MEET THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS; THESE INCLUDE BIGS IN SCHOOLS, IN WHICH BIGS VISIT THEIR LITTLES AT SCHOOL, AN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM, OR ONLINE; SCHOOL TO WORK, IN WHICH LITTLES SPEND TIME WITH THEIR BIGS IN A PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENT; A GRADUATE PROGRAM, IN WHICH BIGS AND LITTLES CONTINUE THEIR MENTORING RELATIONSHIP AFTER THE LITTLE GRADUATES HIGH SCHOOL; BIGS IN BLUE, IN WHICH LOCAL POLICE OFFICERS SERVE AS BIGS; AND A SET OF CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT PREPARE LITTLES FOR POST-SECONDARY SUCCESS, BOTH WHILE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND UPON GRADUATION.CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMMING INCLUDES TAKE STOCK IN CHILDREN OF FLORIDA, INC. ("TSIC"). AS THE LEAD PARTNER FOR THE MIAMI OFFICE OF TSIC, THE ORGANIZATION OFFERS YOUTH WHO ARE ENROLLED IN TSIC A FULL SCHOLARSHIP THROUGH THE FLORIDA PRE-PAID PROGRAM UPON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. ADDITIONALLY, THESE YOUTH RECEIVE TARGETED COLLEGE SUCCESS COACHING TO ENSURE THEY ARE PROGRESSING ACADEMICALLY AND RECEIVING ANY NECESSARY INTERVENTIONS TO GET AND STAY ON TRACK TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL ON TIME. FINALLY, THESE YOUTH RECEIVE PERSONAL MENTORS WHO WORK WITH THEM AND THEIR COLLEGE SUCCESS COACH TO PROVIDE THE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT NECESSARY TO SUCCEED IN HIGH SCHOOL AND BEYOND.WITH THE END GOAL OF ALL STUDENTS ENROLLING IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION-AND THE LONG-TERM GOAL OF ALL STUDENTS GRADUATING WITH A DEGREE FROM AN INSTITUTE OF HIGHER EDUCATION-THE PROGRAM ALSO PROVIDES COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS WORKSHOPS, WHICH ARE NOW OPEN TO ALL YOUTH SERVED BY THE ORGANIZATION, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE ENROLLED IN TSIC. COVERING TOPICS SUCH AS COMPLETING THE FAFSA, WRITING A COLLEGE ESSAY, AND GENERAL LIFE SKILLS SUCH AS PUBLIC SPEAKING AND TIME MANAGEMENT, THESE WORKSHOPS ENHANCE THE MENTORING PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY THE ORGANIZATION, HELPING YOUTH SERVED ANSWER THE QUESTION, "WHAT'S NEXT?" YOUTH ENROLLED IN TSIC ARE ALSO OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENROLL IN THE CORE BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS MENTORING PROGRAM, SO THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THE GRADUATE PROGRAM UPON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, ENABLING THEM TO MAINTAIN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR MENTOR THROUGHOUT THEIR TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD.FINALLY, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES GROUP ENGAGEMENT & MENTORING ("GEM") PROGRAMMING AT ITS HEADQUARTERS AND ONLINE. GEM IMPLEMENTS POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES THAT FOCUS ON ONE OR MORE OF FIVE KEY AREAS, KNOWN AS THE BIG5 - ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT, CAREER PATHWAYS, DIGITAL LITERACY, HEALTH & WELLNESS, AND MUSIC & THE ARTS. GEM PROGRAMMING AUGMENTS ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING AND PROVIDES YOUTH WAITING FOR A MENTOR TO BENEFIT FROM POSITIVE PROGRAMMING AND ROLE MODELS.IN THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2020, THE ORGANIZATION MADE TWO MAJOR CHANGES. WHEN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HIT MIAMI IN MARCH 2020, THE ORGANIZATION FIRST SURVEYED ALL CONSTITUENTS TO DETERMINE WHAT CONCERNS LITTLES AND THEIR FAMILIES HAD ABOUT THE PANDEMIC. THIS NEEDS ASSESSMENT LED TO A SERIES OF DRIVE-THROUGH FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS THAT CONTINUES TO SERVE MORE THAN 200 HOUSEHOLDS EVERY WEEK. STAFF ALSO BEGAN MAKING NO-CONTACT HOME DELIVERIES TO SELECT LITTLES AND THEIR FAMILIES WHO ARE UNABLE TO ATTEND THE DRIVE-THROUGH EVENTS, ENSURING THAT ALL YOUTH, NO MATTER THEIR ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION, ARE ABLE TO HAVE THEIR BASIC NEEDS MET.SECOND, THE ORGANIZATION MOVED ALL PROGRAMMING ONLINE. BIGS AND LITTLES BEGAN MEETING THROUGH PHONE CALLS, TEXT MESSAGES AND VIDEO CHAT. FACILITATED PROGRAMS, SPECIFICALLY SCHOOL TO WORK AND GEM, LEVERAGED COLLABORATIVE MEETING TECHNOLOGY (I.E., ZOOM) AND UTILIZED BREAKOUT ROOMS FOR SMALL GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND ACTIVITIES THAT REINFORCED TOPICS COVERING COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, LIFE SKILLS, HEALTH AND WELLNESS, VISUAL ARTS, AND MORE.THE ORGANIZATION ALSO CONTINUED TO ENROLL NEW YOUTH AND VOLUNTEERS IN THE PROGRAM, CONDUCTING EVALUATION INTERVIEWS THROUGH VIDEO CHAT. STAFF INTRODUCED BIGS TO LITTLES AND LITTLES' PARENTS/GUARDIANS THROUGH ONLINE MEETINGS AND ENSURED NEW MATCHES HAD THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO THEM TO CONNECT ONLINE. MOVING TO REMOTE OPERATIONS ALLOWED BBBS STAFF TO CONTINUE PROVIDING ESSENTIAL SUPPORT TO PROGRAM YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE UNCERTAIN AND UNPRECEDENTED YEAR.WITH A VISION THAT ALL CHILDREN ACHIEVE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, THE ORGANIZATION IGNITES THE POTENTIAL WITHIN EACH AND EVERY CHILD AND ADVOCATES FOR THEM TO EXPLORE THE ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES OF WHAT THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH. WHETHER THROUGH ONE-TO-ONE MENTORING, TSIC OR GEM, YOUTH BENEFIT FROM A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL WHO ADVOCATES FOR THEM AND HELPS THEM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL - THEIR BIG POTENTIAL.