NEWS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW YORK, January 1, 2016 – The nation’s first and New York’s largest youth mentoring organization today celebrated the start of National Mentoring Month by kicking off its 2016 campaign to recruit volunteer mentors for thousands of young people in New York City who are in need of caring adult role models.

Throughout the month, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City (BBBS of NYC) will bring together public officials, community organizations, schools and current Big Brothers and Sisters for a series of ceremonies at its new office spaces in Staten Island, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, which will allow BBBS of NYC to more effectively recruit volunteers in the boroughs. During each ceremony, the organization will honor ‘Borough Bigs of the Year,’ celebrating their unwavering commitment to their “Littles.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City will also introduce a series of new initiatives for 2016, including:

• A recruiting program focused on increasing the number of veterans that serve as volunteer mentors.
• A partnership with leading technology company, AKAStudy, to enrich the education of New York City students by bringing artificial intelligence technology to children in BBBS of NYC’s mentoring programs.

“Our 2016 mentor recruiting campaign, which we are launching as part of National Mentoring Month, is focused on a major expansion of our efforts in the boroughs, including the opening of new offices, with a goal of identifying more caring adult role models for the hundreds of young people waiting for a match,” said Hector Batista, chief executive officer of BBBS of NYC. “Over the past year we have matched thousands of children with mentors who continue to shape their lives in such remarkable ways every day. This month allows us to celebrate the service of our Bigs and the proven impact of our specialized programs, while also raising awareness of the continued, critical need for volunteer mentors. And today, and every day, we are calling on all New Yorkers to join our mission of ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed.”

National Mentoring Month will culminate with the highly anticipated Tournament of Champions Pong on Thursday, January 14th at Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall. Now in its eighth year, the annual table tennis tournament will help raise funds to benefit BBBS of NYC’s youth mentoring programs. By the end of 2016, BBBS of NYC hopes to have paired hundreds more children that are currently awaiting a match with caring adult role models, or “Bigs.” Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC currently serves more than 5,000 young people each year through a variety of specialized mentoring programs.

Mentoring is open to adults 21 or older who reside in the five boroughs, and it is free to volunteer. To become a volunteer mentor, donate, or learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC and National Mentoring Month, please visit http://www.bigsnyc.org/.

Businesses interested in joining the more than 45 corporations that already have Workplace Mentoring Programs can also email wmc@bigsnyc.org.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City
Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC (BBBS of NYC), the nation’s first and NYC’s largest youth mentoring organization, has served the changing needs of New York City’s most at-risk youth since 1904. The volunteer- and donor-based organization offers a variety of specialized mentoring programs to help children facing more complex challenges – including immigrant youth, teen mothers and children of incarcerated parents – as well as the Workplace Mentoring Center, which helps businesses throughout New York City positively impact the lives of young people and build a foundation for professional success. Additionally, since 1992 BBBS of NYC has worked through its Center for Training and Professional Development to equip non-profit professionals throughout New York City to develop and enhance their own mentoring and youth-development programs and organizations.

Through the support of individuals, foundations and corporations, this not-for-profit agency has been able to change the lives of the city’s most disadvantaged children, matching them with caring adult role models – dependable friends who can help to expand their horizons, realize their potential and enrich their futures. To learn more, become a mentor and/or offer support, please visit www.bigsnyc.org.

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Contact: Tom Corsillo
              The Marino Organization
              212.889.0808
              Tom@themarino.org