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Four youth and their mentors from Big
Brothers Big Sisters of NYC (BigsNYC) will be in the
spotlight in front of more than 1,000 people,
during the 31st Annual Sidewalks of
New York Awards Dinner on April 26, 2010. They
will present awards to individuals who serve as role
models: Richard J. Franchella of RBC Wealth
Management; Mark A. Standish of RBC Capital
Markets; Deborah Roberts, ABC News
Correspondent ; and.Michael J. Oher,
Offensive Tackle, Baltimore Ravens
Each award will be presented to the
honoree by a youth and his or her mentor. The
matches have, over the past eight weeks, written and
practiced their remarks that shared their true
stories and heartfelt presentations touched by
unique wit and personality.
This year's gala celebrates "The
Power to Change Lives" --
the power mentoring has to shape not just one
child's future, but the future of an entire
community. Since BigsNYC is a donor-supported
volunteer organization,
fundraising efforts like the
Sidewalks of New
York Gala are vital to sustaining its
mentoring programs. The event is slated to
raise over $1.5 million dollars.
What:
Sidewalks of New York Gala
An awards dinner supporting and
celebrating The Power to Change Lives
Who:
Emcee: Soledad O'Brien,
Anchor & Special Correspondent,
CNN
Honorees:
§
Richard J.
Franchella, Senior
Managing Director, Private Client Group, RBC Wealth
Management
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Mark A.
Standish, President &
Co-CEO,
RBC Capital Markets
§
Deborah
Roberts, Correspondent,
ABC News 20/20
§
Michael J.
Oher, Offensive Tackle,
Baltimore Ravens
When:
Monday, April 26, 2010 6:30pm
cocktails
8:55pm
Presentation of Awards
Where:
The Waldorf=Astoria Grand Ballroom
Tickets:
Tickets are $500 and
$1,000.
Tables run
from $5,000 - $50,000
To
purchase tickets, contact Meredith Sanandres at DS
Consulting Group (212) 888-7003
msanandres@dsconsultinggroup.com
The Power to Change Lives
Many of
the children helped by BigsNYC, the nation's oldest
mentoring organization, are at-risk or dealing with
complex issues, such as an incarcerated parent,
teenage motherhood, or, as first generation
Americans, balancing the cultures of their families
and countries of origin with the cultures of their
school peers and New York City.
The majority of at-risk children are
from low-income single-family households where their
caregivers are struggling to do the job of two. Many
are growing up in the tougher neighborhoods of the
city. Without an involved, reliable
and caring adult role model, a child is more likely
to take cues from negative influences. For every
child at-risk who goes down the wrong path, society
loses the meaningful contributions this child could
have made.
A Big Brother or Big Sister (a
mentor) is a positive voice that stands out from the
crowd, and part of their impact is measurable:
·
67%
improvement in school attendance for children in
Community Mentoring Programs
·
96%
improvement in psychological resiliency for youth
matched in the New American Program for one year
·
100%
of students in Mentoring Through Medicine Program
went onto college in 2009
·
83%
of teen moms in Young Mothers Program showed
significant improvement in school attendance after
being matched with a
“Big Sister”
·
95%
of volunteers in Workplace Mentoring Programs now
have a better understanding of social problems in
the city
·
100%
of children in the 9/11 Program showed significant
decrease of symptoms indicative of PTSD after one
year
Mentoring can set a new course
for a child. For many children in BigsNYC
programs, a mentor has made the difference between
dropping out of school and applying to college.
A mentor's
attention, guidance and example inspire changes that
ripple beyond the child, impacting families,
friends, teachers and the community. This is
The Power to Change Lives.
The bonds created between a Big and a
Little are permanent and powerful. Michael A.
Corriero, Executive Director, Big Brothers Big
Sisters of NYC explains, "Many BigsNYC
matches have been together for years and some
for decades. That isn't
luck. The time, energy, expertise and heart that
BigsNYC social workers invest in each and every
match create exponential dividends. For years to
come, mentors, youth and the community as a whole
will continue to realize and experience the positive
impact mentoring has had on their lives and on their
city."
BACKGROUND:
Big Brothers Big Sisters
of NYC
(BigsNYC), the nation’s first mentoring
organization, has served the changing needs of New
York City’s most at-risk youth since 1904, by
developing and nurturing mentoring relationships
under the guidance of trained social workers who
carefully screen adults who are interested in
mentoring school-age children, primarily from
single-parent families. BigsNYC also runs programs
to help children facing more complex challenges,
such as immigrant youth, teen moms and victims of
9/11, and a training center for NYC’s community
agencies. Through the support of individuals,
foundations and corporations, BigsNYC has been able
to reach out to the city’s most disadvantaged
children matching them with caring mentors, helping
them to achieve bright and productive futures. To
offer support and/or to volunteer, visit
www.BigsNYC.org
or call (212) 686-2042.
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