Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan
Final Grant Report for
Fiscal agent if applicant is not tax exempt:
Tax ID Number:
23-7043163
Contact First Name:
Contact Last Name:
Cecilia
Chesney
900 East Front Street, Suite 125, Traverse City, MI 49686
Address:
2313926497
Phone Number:
Website:
Project Name:
One-to-One Mentoring for At-Risk Children
Project start and end dates:
Sunday, September 1, 2019
Monday, August 31, 2020
Amount Granted From Hestia:
$
3000
Project results and Impact
How many girls/women have been served by the project during this project year?
42 girls from Charlevoix and Emmet counties have been mentored through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan between Sept 1, 2019 and April 29, 2020. We are confident an additional 10-15 girls will be served before the end of the current grant cycle on August 31, 2020. Ninety-five percent of the children in our program are identified in the ALICE report as living in poverty and struggling to afford the basic necessities of housing, child care, food, technology, health care and transportation.
When a child in need is matched with a mentor, someone who spends time with them on a consistent basis, someone who listens, and someone who cares, their entire world changes, they begin to discover opportunities and possibilities they never dreamed existed. They begin to believe in themselves. Their attendance and academic performance at school improves; their willingness to try new things and make new friends significantly increases; and they are on their way to becoming self-reliant, independent young adults with an exciting future ahead of them.
Goal of the Project
Did you meet your program goals for the grant period?
If yes, how do you know? Please describe any program evaluation you use:
If no, please describe current barriers and how you are working to overcome them:
We are on track to meet our goal to serve at least 85 children in Charlevoix and Emmet Counties within the grant cycle, and provide them with the tools, guidance, support, opportunities and experiences they need in order to realize their potential. As of April 29, 2020 we have accomplished 74% of our service goal, with volunteer recruitment efforts underway to serve an additional 20 children by August 31, 2020.
Each child’s experiences and achievements are documented and tracked in Matchforce, the Bigs’ database. This allows us to evaluate appropriate caseload size, coaching services and through support documentation, ensure we are keeping kids safe. Results of Youth Outcomes Surveys indicate we have successfully met our goals for improvements in academic performance, social relationships and self-confidence. Strength of Relationship surveys report on the successful impact of the Bigs mentoring program.
During this period of quarantine, the entire Bigs' program has transitioned to provide services remotely. An active recruitment campaign is in place and our team is operating at full strength.
Do you have a story of how your program positively changed participant's situation, behavior, or knowledge?
If so, please share it:
Ella Mae is 12 years old, and a resident of Charlevoix County who has been matched with her Big Sister Sarah for five years. Her mother enrolled her in the Bigs program due to a need for one-on-one attention; Ella Mae is one of eight children, living in poverty in a chaotic household. Mom is a single, hard-working parent with no time or resources to spread to all the kids. Ella Mae prepares meals and helps raise her younger siblings.
Big sister Sarah is a social worker and counselor and wants to have a positive impact on Ella Mae. She finds fulfillment in offering support that Ella Mae does not have within her family currently. Sarah wants Ella Mae to realize her value and provides a quiet respite for Ella Mae at her home where she can relax and be a kid. They often cook, paint their nails, and work on projects together.
Ella Mae spoke about her Big Sister Sarah at a Kiwanis luncheon, she shared how much Sarah has been there for her and how important it has been for her to have this friendship. “I have a Big Sister and we have a lot of fun. I trust her with my whole heart. I can tell her anything and she never takes it out of her heart.”
Sustainability
Will this project continue?
If so, how will it be funded?
If not, why not?
Big Brothers Big Sisters has been providing mentoring services to at-risk children in Char-Em since 1970. Bigs’ strategic plan includes growing the mentoring programs in Charlevoix and Emmet County to meet the needs in these communities, providing a greater impact in these communities. This will require an increase in support from the Char-Em community. To accomplish this, funding requests have been made to underwrite the hiring of a development staff person to serve Charlevoix and Emmet counties. In addition, an Advisory Council made up of community leaders, was recently created to provide education and insight about these communities, and assist with fundraising strategies, raise awareness for the need, and advocate for Bigs’ mission.
Public Relations
How did you publicize this grant?
Please list any examples.
A press release was disseminated a week after receiving the grant. Several social media posts were sent out, along with an email to our constituents.
Summary Comments
Please note that this final report is being submitted prior to the completion of the full grant cycle, scheduled to end August 31, 2020. Actual revenues and expenses are as of April 29, 2020 and are not a report on the full grant period. Additionally, the budget report is not complete as we have not expended all funds for this project. We will follow-up with a final report in September, 2020.
Thank you for your consistent and continued support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan.
Grant Final Budget Form
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