Grants Awarded to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast

December 11, 2020 – Sarasota

The Wawa Foundation has awarded a $3,000 grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast for its Decisions to Win program (DTW) in Charlotte, Collier, Lee, Manatee, & Sarasota Counties. The goal of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast’s Decisions to Win (DTW) one-to-one mentoring initiative is to help at-risk high school students remain in school, earn promotion to the next grade level and graduate high school. DTW serves students in grades 10-12. This personal decision-making program is workbook-based, and it is designed to instill goal orientation, develop planning skills, and motivate students to succeed in school. Thus, DTW is Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast’s signature high school dropout prevention initiative that joins the Agency’s one-to-one mentoring model with a structured course of study. The program consists of 18-20 age-appropriate lessons focused on academic achievement, positive behavior, increasing self-esteem, and setting long-term educational, career, and financial goals. Students work one-to-one with their mentors, who are provided specialized training, to complete each lesson during weekly sessions. Mentoring sessions typically take place at the student’s school during one class or lunch period throughout the school year. These sessions include assistance with schoolwork, standardized test preparation, personal conversations, and shared activities.

Walmart has awarded $5,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast for its agency-wide DEI Leadership Development of staff, board, & mentors. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coasts’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force is composed of board members, staff, and volunteers consistent with previous strategies but enhanced by the formation of the Task Force. The Agency recognizes the value in acknowledging and learning about the impact of social and cultural bias that affects the lives of many of our Littles. Together the Agency affirms that every person has the opportunity to reach their full potential. Through this grant’s focus on educating and training staff, Board members, and Mentors in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access, the Agency will be better equipped to understand the barriers diverse and marginalized youth face and how to help its Littles overcome those barriers and access opportunities.

Venice Yacht Club Charitable Foundation has awarded Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast $5,000 for its Reading Bigs program. Through the agency’s Reading Bigs one-to-one mentoring initiative, mentors facilitate reading activities that support the emergence of a love of reading and an improvement in reading proficiency during regularly scheduled match meetings. Reading Bigs improves participants’ reading skills through a variety of reading activities that are specific to the child’s reading level and are monitored by Big Brothers Big Sisters and the child’s teacher to ensure progress.  

For more information, visit bbbssun.org