Big Brothers Big Sisters Foundation

Seventy-seven Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country have been awarded grants of $14.4 million by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to mentor children of prisoners. Forty-six Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies received direct funding for the first time, ten (10) received renewals of awards made last year and twenty-one were funded as sub-contractors in collaboration with another grantee. The grants to support BBBS programs amount to some 32 per cent of all the funds awarded by HHS, more then any other mentoring organization in the country. In a ceremony this morning at Union Baptist Church, Robert J. Polito, Director of the Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives for HHS honored Big Brothers Big Sisters President, Judy Vredenburgh, for the stewardship of the mentoring programs and recognized the organization on the occasion of its 100th anniversary. He also recognized Dr. Rev. W. Wilson Goode, who helped spearhead the Amachi Big Brothers Big Sisters pilot program here in Philadelphia. Several Big and Little Brothers and Sisters from the local Mentoring Children of Prisoners program (Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Pa) were also in attendance. Union Baptist Church is one of the original participating churches in the Amachi Big Brothers Big Sisters program. "Mentors are the heroes who provide a trusting relationship with a child or youth in need," said Tommy G. Thompson, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "We know that youth outcomes can be improved with the help of a mentor. These grants will give young Americans the hope and guidance they need to grow up to be successful, healthy adults," he added. An estimated two million children in the United States have at least one incarcerated parent. Studies show that 70 per cent of children of incarcerated parents will themselves be incarcerated at some point in their lives unless intervention occurs. An impact study showed that youth with a Big Brother or Sister were 46 per cent less likely to initiate drug use, 27 percent less likely to initiate alcohol use and 52 percent less likely to skip school than their peers who do not have a Big Brother or Sister. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a pioneer in providing mentoring services to children of prisoners. The Amachi program was born in Philadelphia in 2001 out of a collaboration of secular and faith-based institutions including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Pennsylvania, the Center for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society at the University of Pennsylvania and Public- Private Ventures, a private think tank. Amachi Big Brothers Big Sisters matches children of prisoners with congregants who become Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Judy Vredenburgh, President, Big Brothers Big Sisters programs. "These children are the most vulnerable of our country's youth and we have to reach out aggressively to serve them. We are gratified that the Department of Health and Human Services has seen the effectiveness and proven track record of our mentoring programs and supported our outreach through this unprecedented grant," she said. "This is an extraordinary commitment and pledge of support from them," she added. The following BBBS agencies received direct awards in excess of $400,000: