Reports Significant Progress Toward its Goal of 5,000 Youth Served Annually

BOSTON, November 8, 2018 — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, one of the nation’s leading one-to-one mentoring programs for youth and the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate in New England, today announced the results of its successful 2018 fiscal year, solidifying the agency’s standing as the largest mentoring organization in the region.

Key highlights from 2018 include:

• Served 3,269 youth in total and paired 1,177 new children with a mentor, a 19 percent increase from fiscal year 2017, putting the agency on course to exceed 3,590 youth served in fiscal year 2019
• Paired 121 new children with a mentor on Cape Cod and the Islands, a 10 percent increase from fiscal year 2017
• Achieved a 76 percent 12-month retention rate for matches – a key metric for program quality that contributed to the agency receiving the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Quality Award at the national conference in June
• Recruited 101 new volunteers 50 years of age or older as part of its effort to engage more individuals within this growing age bracket who can uniquely offer decades worth of life experiences to youth
• Raised $7.8 million in net operating revenue
• Expanded the technology-enhanced Mentor 2.0 college access mentoring program to include students from the Edward M. Kennedy Academy of Health Careers in Boston, bringing the total number of students matched with a college-educated mentor in that program to 181
• Added the New Bedford region to the areas in which it serves, and now supports more than 90 youth matched with a mentor in that region
• Renewed its partnership with Uber to continue providing Bigs with free transportation to meet with their Littles living in communities that have little-to-no access to public transportation
• Enlisted two new members to its Board of Directors: Spectrum Equity Managing Director Chris Mitchell and Kaplan Financial Services President Susan Kaplan

“As we embark on the second year in our new Operation GO BIG strategic plan and also the 70th anniversary of the organization, I cannot adequately express the gratitude we feel toward our fantastic community of volunteers, donors, board members, corporate sponsors and strategic partners who have been instrumental in our ability to drive sustainable, quality growth over the last eight years,” said President and CEO Wendy Foster. “There are thousands of children in Eastern Massachusetts who are trying to fulfill their potential without enough adult support. It is critical to the success of our region that we all step up to defend that potential, and we will not rest until those children are matched with the mentors they need and deserve.”

The 2018 fiscal year marked the beginning of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay’s current sustainable growth strategy, Operation GO BIG, an initiative led by Foster who helped develop the agency’s prior five-year growth plan in 2013. With eight consecutive years of growth under its belt – marked by continuous increases in the total youth served – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay is on a mission to maintain its momentum and reach the aggressive goals of the current plan, which include: increasing children served by more than 80 percent to reach 5,000 youth over the next few years, raising $40 million from diversified and sustainable sources, driving efficiency, leveraging technology and advancing its field-leading youth outcomes system to evidence the impact created for each child.

In addition to achieving significant growth in the 2018 fiscal year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay has also started the 2019 fiscal year on a high note, following Foster’s recognition as a finalist in the Stevie® Awards for Women in Business. Foster is in the running for the Female Executive of the Year – Government or Non-Profit – 11 to 2,500 Employees category. The Gold, Silver and Bronze Stevie Award placements will be announced at the 2018 awards dinner at the Sheraton New York Times Square Hotel in New York City on Friday, November 16.

For more information on Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, visit www.massbaybigs.org.

About Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay is an innovative, energetic organization clearing the path to the biggest possible future for over 3,200 youth annually. With research and proven outcomes at its core, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay is working to ensure every child has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential through professionally supported, one-to-one mentoring relationships. The organization’s vision is to inspire, engage and transform communities in Massachusetts Bay by empowering youth to achieve their full potential, contributing to healthier families, better schools, more confident futures and stronger communities. For more information about this worthwhile cause and its important mission, visit www.massbaybigs.org.

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Media contact:
Nicole Metro
Version 2.0 Communications for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay
bbbsmb@v2comms.com
617-426-2222