BIG DAY AT ST. THOMAS

The BBBS Twin Cities office has organized a University of St. Thomas College Virtual Tour and has graciously invited our matches to join them.

When: Thursday, April 22nd 4-5 p.m.

Who: Whether you are just beginning to think about going to college or are deep in the process of applying, this event will have something for you.

What: Big Day at St. Thomas will include four mini sessions:
  • Campus Life - participate in a fly over tour and dorm room exploration
  • Hands on Learning - experiment and flex creative muscles at the UST create
  • Explore a Classroom - hear from real college students about how they learn, connect, and change the world
  • Read All About It - tour the campus library and read a story with a St. Thomas Alumni

Registrants will be emailed a Zoom link and receive a virtual activity pack to participate in an evening for learning and fun. When registering please select "I can't remember" as your Match Engagement Coordinator. Register HERE.
APRIL 14TH IS REACH AS HIGH AS YOU CAN DAY!

National Reach as High as You Can Day on April 14th encourages us to evaluate our goals and do our best to reach them. We can define “reach” in many ways. We can reach for our dreams or our goals. Reach for the stars or the sky. While this day may not be about setting records, it is certainly about reaching high; higher than we think we can. We often become complacent. National Reach as High as You Can Day is just a reminder on the calendar not to let your dreams go adrift. Reach for them. Reach as high as you can!
We need you! Volunteer with us and help get Pine Grove Zoo ready for the season. Bring a pair of working gloves or rake if you have them. Age 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult. We look forward to a fun and productive day! For more info click here.
AWESOME GIRLS: NATIONAL GIRL SCOUTS STEM FESTIVAL


Awesome Girls: National Girl Scouts STEM Festival is a free virtual event. There will be activities for girls from kindergarten through 12th grade — and you don’t have to be a Girl Scout to join the fun! Create your own STEM experience as you choose from dozens of hands-on activities, live events, fun challenges, and booth experiences!

Saturday, April 17th from 11:00 am – 3:30 pm Central
Registration closes 11:59pm EST on Friday, April 9, 2021. Register here.
YOUNG WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP PROGRAM

The Young Women's Leadership Program offers an opportunity for young women in 9th to 12th grade throughout the Sixth District to meet and interact with professional women in the great state of Minnesota who have built successful careers and hold or have held leadership roles in government, business, media, and other occupations.

Participants of this program will be able to take part in open roundtable discussions with their peers and women professionals from various fields, all while sharing insights, guidance, and stories. These young women will have the chance to learn about career opportunities in these fields, develop their own leadership and communication abilities, and cultivate skills that they hope to improve upon. 

Applications are being accepted now for summer 2021. Click here for more information and to apply.
REGISTER AND SAVE THE DATE: THE BIG AUCTION!

Place your bids and stand with kids! 

Let's have some FUN April 2-9, 2021 bidding on some great items and supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota. Since 1969, we have defended the potential of youth. You can be a part of it with your bids and donations!

  1. Have an item donation for the auction? Use this form to let us know and we will make arrangements for pick-up for you can drop it off at our office.
  2. Register for FREE for the online auction! We will send you friendly text reminders to let you know when the fun starts!
  3. THE BIG RAFFLE IS SOLD OUT!! Watch Facebook Live at the close of The Big Auction on Friday, April 9 at 8:00 pm to see if YOU WON!
EXPLORING CAREER PATHWAYS FOR OUR FUTURE LEADERS

GSDC, along with several community partners, are very committed to helping connect classrooms to careers and life to learning. Luke Greiner, our local DEED Labor Market Analyst, shares some great information and tools regarding career exploration and education.

If you are a graduating senior, the task of picking a career or education pathway can be a daunting task, possibly the reason why so many students plan to "figure it out later". Committing time to research occupations and educational options is competing against a plethora of more exciting activities, but the value of gaining some baseline knowledge and direction can empower you to achieve your dream job. 

Take a look at Luke Greiner’s Video Update and Monthly Blog to learn more.
LITTLE BIG VIRTUAL ACADEMY
The purpose of the Little Big Virtual Academy is to keep Littles and Bigs connected during times of physically distancing. When matches might not be able meet in-person, they can continue to communicate and interact via phone and computer. The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota team has compiled a list of fun and interactive activities and resources for Littles and Bigs to do together- click here to link to the website!
PROGRAM STAFF CONTACT INFO
Please contact our staff if you have any questions regarding matches.

Ann Matvick, Program Director  
Ann@BigDefenders.org 320.258.4517
  
Jamie Lodermeier, Program Coordinator
Jamie@BigDefenders.org  320.258.4532
 
Kayla Meyer, Program Coordinator 
Kayla@BigDefenders.org 320.241.7996
 
Mary Bellefeuille, Lead Program Coordinator 
Mary@BigDefenders.org  320.258.4538
 
Rebecca Fonss, Program Coordinator  
Rebecca@BigDefenders.org 320.258.4519
 
Robyn Rieland, Program Coordinator 
Robyn@BigDefenders.org  320.258.4512

Tasha Bruns-Notsch, Lead Enrollment Coordinator  
Tasha@BigDefenders.org  320.258.4516
Hey BIGS!! Do you know someone who would be a great mentor to a child in our community? Use the above Big Nomination graphic by sending it to them. You could message it, text it, print and hand deliver, or post it on their social media. Let them KNOW that you could see them as a BIG! We are now holding Info Sessions online via Zoom- let's create a waiting list of Bigs!
Listed below are several community resources. Please visit our updated BBBS website Resources page for a more extensive listing, including tutors, food and heating assistance, and mental health resources.

NEW! Career Solutions - Career Solutions offers career counseling, job search assistance and even potential retraining available at no cost. They are supported by State and Federal funds to help people who are unemployed find meaningful employment as quickly as possible, and can provide information on the Dislocated Worker Program. They serve Stearns and Benton county residents and are one of the partners of CareerForce (formerly the WorkForce Center) – St. Cloud. Click here to learn more.
Contact Jeni or April! 320.308.5320 or info@csjobs.org

Vaccine Connector - Minnesotans can sign up at mn.gov/vaccineconnector. Minnesotans unable to sign up online can call 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone. Translation is available by phone in all languages. Minnesotans can call the translation hotline at 833-431-2053 for assistance signing up over the phone. 

CARE Free Food Distribution - COVID Food Assistance Program open to all households that are in need! Each household will receive Meat, Milk and Dry Goods. February 15th, March 15th, and April 19th 11:00am - 1:00pm or while boxes last. CARE Parking Lot 321 6th Ave Foley, MN 56329. Please stay in your vehicle. Phone: 320-968-7848 or email: info@CAREelders.org

United Way 2-1-1 Resource Hotline - United Way is encouraging anyone who may be in need of assistance accessing food, rent, mortgage, utility assistance or any other essential service, to dial 2-1-1 or text MNCOVID to 898-211. Click here for more information.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central MN | 320-253-1616 | BigDefenders.org