JULY 2021 EDITION
Community-Based Big of the Month
Congratulations to our July Community-Based Big of the Month, Jesus Delatorre!

How were you able to get your Little to open up?
"Give some advice to other Bigs who may have shy Littles just like yours.
I really just tried to dig into what he liked or liked to talk about. Then after collecting the info, I researched and looked for what I would be able to get involved in that he also liked. In our case, that was Pokémon Go. So I spent a couple of weeks learning and having him teach me how to play (I’m not a gamer so this was new to me). I could see his confidence grow as he was teaching me something, and we can walk around a park for hours hunting Pokémon and participating in raids."

What is your favorite outing that you have been on with Damian?
"I really like going to the parks with him and going on Pokémon raids. We recently started riding our bikes out now that the weather is great, so we ride around for a couple of hours and then grab a bite to eat."

What is your favorite part about being a Big?
"See the growth in Damian. He has come out of his shell quite a bit, and getting to see his personality has been awesome. Also getting to see how I can try to help influence him into making smart decisions and making the best of life."

With things opening back up in the community, what are you most excited to do with Damian?
"We honestly have been having fun with what we’re doing now. Being outdoors is nice for him because of being stuck indoors cause of school. So the bike rides and lunch have been super great."

Would you and Damian rather:
Go out to eat OR do something active?
Hmm, I would say both in this case. Do something active and work up that appetite then go out to eat. 

Gets tickets to a sporting event OR tickets to a museum?
Tickets to a sporting event. He had such a blast at the checkers game we went to with BBBS

Connect in person OR virtually?
Definitely connect in person. He's having to do school via zoom made him have zoom fatigue, so safely meeting in person was the best way for us to see each other. 


Thank you for being a wonderful mentor, Jesus!
Do YOU want to make a Big Difference? Become a Big Today! For more information on how to become a Big, click the link below.
A Big Thank You to The Leon Levine Foundation’s Board of Directors for awarding Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas with a $60,000 grant award. This funding will help us continue to empower youth in our community through our one-to-one mentorships and programs.

About The Leon Levine Foundation:

Established in 1980 by Leon Levine (Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Family Dollar Stores, Inc.), The Leon Levine Foundation supports programs and organizations that improve the human condition through investments in education, healthcare, human services, and Jewish values. Based in Charlotte, N.C., the Foundation invests in nonprofits across North Carolina and South Carolina with strong leadership, a track record of success, and a plan for financial sustainability. Through its investments, the Foundation intends to create pathways to self-sufficiency, champion strategies for permanent change, and facilitate opportunities for growth.

Learn more online at www.leonlevinefoundatoin.org or follow on Twitter and Facebook @LeonLevineFdn.
We’re happy to share that The Starbucks Foundation has selected Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas to receive a $1,000 grant!
 
This grant is part of The Starbuck Foundation's Neighborhood Grants program, through which Starbucks partners nominate organizations based on the important work they are doing in the community. This Neighborhood Grant focused on supporting organizations that address a critical need in the community in which partners are passionate. We are honored to have been one of the 1,300 nonprofits selected out of 7,000+ submissions. Thank you Starbucks Foundation for your generosity.
BBBSCC announces the appointment of Elizabeth Hutchins as its new Area Director for Cabarrus County. Elizabeth is an experienced, passionate leader with a commitment to enabling success for children. She brings experience in fund development, program management, and child advocacy. For the last four years, she served as Senior Program Coordinator at BBBSCC-Cabarrus County. She successfully started and ran the Atrium Health Beyond School Walls program for middle school students in Cabarrus County.

 “I believe that every child needs a champion in their corner to help them navigate life, a mentor “Big” of their own. For this reason, I’m committed to carrying forth Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cabarrus County’s mission to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. I look forward to working with our Cabarrus Leadership Council, staff, community partners, and invested stakeholders to expand the organization’s innovative programs and deepen its impact so we can continue to meet the diverse needs of all youth across Cabarrus County,” stated Mrs. Hutchins.

Please join me in congratulating Elizabeth Hutchins!  
FOR MORE UPDATES ON WHAT'S HAPPENING IN CABARRUS COUNTY, FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK.
Everyone, meet Dorothy Cathey! Dorothy is our Director of Human Resources and Operations at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas (BBBSCC) and is our Spotlight Employee of the Month!

As a Human Resources and Resources Director, she helps curate the company’s culture, oversees all HR functions and staff, and ensures that all policies comply with legal regulations.

Before coming to Big Brothers Big Sisters, she had worked with the state for 11 years and 24 years in nonprofit. Dorothy's favorite part of the job is seeing our littles being able to attend activities and events that they would have never thought of attending. She enjoys being able to see their smiling faces and excitement. Dorothy's favorite quote is "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." In her free time, she enjoys watching her favorite tv show The King of Queens. 

Please join us in congratulating Dorothy as our BBBSCC Staff Spotlight of the Month! 
Everyone, meet Lemair F. Phipps. Lemair is the Administrative Assistant at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas (BBBSCC) and is our Spotlight Employee of the Month!

As the Administrative Assistant, she supports the CEO and Director of Human Resources and Operations on various administrative tasks that allow the organization to function at optimum proficiency. She is also the first person that anyone meets when they visit the organization, and Lemair presents the organization in a professional, yet friendly light. She is also a team player lending her know-how to the BBBSCC training and development committee.

Lemair held positions working for the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Johnston Branch of the YMCA as the organizations’ administrator before joining BBBSCC. When asked what she likes most about her work, Lemair states that she loves helping others accomplish their goals as well as the synergies that are created when organizational functions are working in a streamlined manner.  

When asked about a mentor that impacted her life, she fondly shares the story of Mrs. Giannarelli, who was the mother of two of her closest high school friends. The Giannarelli family stepped in during a challenging period in Lemair’s own family. “Mrs. Giannarelli was one of my first mentors, and she was also a mother figure to me as well. A mentor is someone who can see the inner depths of who you are or can become. When I graduated from high school, Mrs. Giannarelli was the only person who came to support me and handed me a letter she’d written. The letter spelled out her belief in me. She told me I could move mountains and was going places! Like most teenage girls, I was learning my purpose and lacked confidence, and needed to learn to be the best version of me—the letter given to me opened my eyes to all of my personal possibilities. Several months after my graduation, Mrs. Giannarelli passed away. The letter she took the time to write me, still inspires me. This is why I believe that the mentoring she lovingly gave me is in alignment with what we do at BBBSCC. It’s a gift that is given from older people, to share wisdom and to help guide younger generations in the right direction.”

Lemair also shared that she envisions mentoring like the sea which is composed of trillions of drops of water. Each drop can be compared to every positive word known to mankind. When turned into action, these words are the spark that encourages individuals to explore and experience more, do more, be more, want more.

Please join us in congratulating Lemair as our BBBSCC Spotlight Employee of the Month!
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Mission

Create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

Vision

All youth achieve their full potential.
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