Volunteers Gather to Share JBBBS Stories

In honor of National Mentoring Month, a small group of JBBBS volunteers gathered for dinner and conversation on Tuesday, February 3rd. The “parlor meeting” allowed a small group of volunteers to meet with other volunteers, chat about ideas for activities and share their special “aha!” moments with their “Littles” or “Friends.” Below are pictures from the event and some memorable stories shared from our volunteers.

Friend2Friend Volunteers Amy and Lindsay, and Big Brother Jacob shared stories of their time volunteering with JBBBS

“When I go to MAGIC each month, my Friend’s excitement and smile reminds me of the little things in life that matter” –Friend2Friend Volunteer Amy

Big Brothers Adam and Rob and Big Sister Carley share an "aha" moment

 “My Little Sister’s mother called me the day after Thanksgiving to share that when asked what she was thankful for, she said ‘My Big Sister Carley’.”- Big Sister Volunteer Carley

A Night of Good Food and Good Conversation

 “More than ever before, from my experience as Chair of the Board of the agency and as a Big Sister, thank you for all that you do.” – Chair of JBBBS’ Board of Directors, Carolynn Levy

Real Life Big Brothers Jeff and Barry shared stories about their experiences as JBBBS Big Brothers

“After graduating from college, I’ve had a few different jobs. But what remains constant is my connection as a “Big Brother.” -Big Brother Volunteer Barry

See All That You Can Be: JBBBS Welcomes Liz Sunneby

On Wednesday, January 21st, Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters invited its Big Sisters in the community, activity and school plus programs to attend a workshop put on by award winning ”tween” author, Liz Suneby.

The room was packed with Big Sisters for this great event which aided our volunteers in working with their “Littles” in seeing the broad range of careers and opportunities available to them. Liz showed our “Bigs” the best way to use her book See What You Can Be including ways to share with “Littles” what their personality suggested about future careers. Are you a “Hands on Girl” or a “Shaker-Upper”?

Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters and Liz Suneby have another workshop in store for back again for all of our community, activity and school plus Big Sisters and their “Littles”. Participants do not need to have attended the past event to attend this event.

During this workshop the two of you will have the opportunity to interact in fun and creative ways with other Big and Little Sisters while meeting a panel of professional women to hear about what they loved as girls, what they do today, and how their dreams lead them to their professional success.  Every Little Sister will get her own copy of the book, See What You Can Be for the “Big” and “Little” to use together in the future, and another book to give to another female friend!

Immediately following the event, JBBBS will host a pizza party for all those in attendance!

For more information please email Alanna at Alanna@jbbbs.org or ask your social worker.

We look forward to seeing you there to “See What You Can Be”!

Some of the JBBBS Big Sisters in attendance take a moment to show off thier new "See What You Can Be" books

JBBBS Recongized by Mass Mentoring

Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters was recongized as an Inaugural Member of the Mass Mentoring Partnership Quality-Based program for mentoring agencies across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

At a ceremony held at the State House in Boston on January 22nd, 2009, Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters was recognized with 14 other organizations during a celebration of National Mentoring Month.

Inaugural Members of the program were instrumental in creating standards of high quality mentoring to children. JBBBS President/CEO Harvey Lowell, PhD and Vice President of Programs and Services Lisa Cohen LICSW, were instrumental in working with the Mass Mentoring Partnership in creating standards that help recognize organizations that provide high program quality.

January is National Mentoring Month

 

January is National Mentoring Month, a month to reflect on the great work of volunteers, and to promote youth mentoring. The annual event has occurred since January 2002 and was originally spearheaded through the Harvard School of Public Health and MENTOR. Now in its seventh full year, President George W. Bush has officially proclaimed January as National Mentoring Month.

 

Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters is proud to recognize its volunteers who truly have enriched the lives of children, their families and adults with disabilities by acting as a caring adult friend. They play basketball, go to the movies, and eat ice cream. They paint pottery, go bowling, and cheer on the Red Sox. Most importantly, they smile, they listen and they care. Our agency could not be entering its 90^th year of servicing the Jewish community without the compassion, enthusiasm and friendship that our volunteers provide. We are forever grateful.

JBBBS Joins with Kevin Youkilis’ Hits for Kids for Hanukkah Homerun!

On Monday, December 22nd, 2008 (the second night of Hanukkah), Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters invited “Bigs” and “Littles” to play a little dreidel, eat some latkes and hang out with the Boston Red Sox’s own, Kevin Youkilis at the annual Silk Family Hanukkah Party.

Nearly one hundred “matches” attended the event held at the Leventhal-Sidman JCC which was held in conjunction with Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids. After enjoying a Hanukkah meal and hot fudge sundaes served in Red Sox mini-helmets just like those at Fenway Park, “Littles” and “Bigs” were entertained by DJ Drey-Del and were challenged to a dance party and games. You could feel the buzz in the air as seven o’clock approached and our favorite Jewish baseball player’s arrival came closer and closer.

JBBS Big and Little await Kevin Youkilis

A JBBBS "Big" and "Little" eagerly await Kevin Youkilis

Shortly after 7:00, JBBBS President/CEO Harvey Lowell announced that a special guest was in the building, “Not only is he a wonderful ball player…he is a lot like our Big Brothers and Big Sisters who we can emulate and we can be proud of. We all love the way the way he plays the game. We all love what he represents, and we are so happy he was able to join us.” Kevin Youkilis was greeted with applause and cheers of “Yoouukk” as he joined the Silk Family and two special matches to light the menorah and lead us in the Hanukkah blessings.

Kevin Youkilis, the Silk Family and JBBBS matches light the menorah

After sharing his favorite Hanukkah stories and memories, Kevin spent more than an hour answering each question asked by JBBBS “Bigs” and “Littles.” The questions were vast and diverse. One match asked about his unusual batting stance, while others were interested in his best friends growing up and his favorite books. Handshakes and hugs were given, and there was even one marriage proposal. Following the question and answer period, our “Littles” joined Kevin on stage for a group picture.

Kevin Youkilis answers questions from JBBBS matches.

The 2008 Silk Family Hanukkah Party is sure to be an event that all whom attended will remember for years to come. Many thanks for those that joined us for this special evening and to Kevin, his wife Enza and Hits for Kids for making this a true Hanukkah miracle.

Kevin Youkilis and members of the JBBBS Staff

After 89 Years, JBBBS Joins the Blogosphere!

 

Welcome to our first blog, entry after 89 years of doing business.

Times have changed:  The first public message of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters was issued in a little box-shaped editorial in the pages of the Bnai Brith Messenger, and a column in the Jewish Advocate.  Our agency was in its gestation period in 1918, a year that began with the euphoria of a Red Sox World Series victory, in a Boston that would not see another one until four years ago.  The next year, the year of our official founding, brought the aftermath of World War I, a massive and deadly flu pandemic, and a year of upheaval around the world. 

The 1918 World Champion Boston Red Sox

Then as now, the idea of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters was a simple one:  there were plenty of kids in the Greater Boston area who needed some attention; who needed a hand; who needed some guidance.  There were immigrant kids; boys whose fathers had run off; and children whose families had suffered loss, illness, poverty and emotional turmoil.   The agency was started by people who had something; and who simply wanted to give a little of it back to their community.

The Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters are not so different today; and neither are conditions either in the Jewish or the larger community. Regardless of how well our community does – and today we work with Jewish and non-Jewish children –  there are always those of us who exist at the margins of our shared communal life;  and are perhaps too embarrassed  or ashamed or too needy to let that need be seen by our regular communal institutions.

So the way this message is reaching you is wildly different, the message itself is the same:  It’s not only a great thing, it’s a fun thing to be a Jewish Big Brother or Big Sister;  and if you’re qualified, we’ll help you make your experience as rewarding -maybe even more rewarding -for you as it is for your ‘little.’

We hope to use this blog as a new way of communicating with you. Many of you are long time friends of the agency, as others may have stumbled upon us. Either way, we hope that you will check back often to hear more about what is new with the agency, read tips for our “Bigs” and parents and share in the fun that goes on within Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters.

We’ll be back in touch with you soon – in the meantime, we’d love to hear suggestions from you about what you’d be interested in learning about.

All the best for the holiday season -

Chag Chanukah Sameach

Harv