Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island (BBBSRI) today announced the launch of its new Ambassadors group. BBBSRI Ambassadors are a group of community-minded leaders who have the desire, willingness, and ability to support the mission of BBBSRI. This new initiative will create opportunities for the organization to grow its pool of primary resources, including mentors, fiscal resources, and clothing donations.
BBBSRI Ambassadors will expand the impact of BBBSRI in the community while strengthening the organization’s foundation. BBBSRI’s mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. A network of individuals with the connections and platforms to spread the word about the power and impact of mentoring is crucial to achieving this goal – and the need has never been greater.
BBBSRI currently has 50 boys waiting for a positive male role model, with an average of 13 new young people inquiring daily. Additionally, clothing and small household items donated through BBBSRI’s drop-off centers, curbside pick-up, and donation bins, funding 70% of the agency’s mentoring programs, have drastically dropped by 44% since the pandemic. Without support, BBBSRI will have to freeze or stop enrolling young people who, at this moment, desperately want a mentor. According to MENTOR National, 1 in 3 young people will grow up without a mentor. That’s one too many, which is why BBBSRI is committed to providing mentoring opportunities that positively impact the lives of young people throughout Rhode Island.
BBBSRI Ambassadors make an initial one-year commitment to supporting BBBSRI’s mission and the critical need for mentors and cloth donations. In that year, they will set one specific goal along with the BBBSRI team. Goals range from connecting BBBSRI with speaking opportunities or recruiting potential mentors, to hosting a friend-raiser or fundraising event or referring locations for potential cloth donation bins. However, there are countless opportunities that Ambassadors can support. “We know that word of mouth is our number one referral source for mentors, youth, and cloth donations,” said Katje Afonseca, BBBSRI CEO. “The Ambassadors have large networks and we know that their reach will make a difference!”
2023 BBBSRI Ambassadors:
Aaron Bishop – Business Development Manager, Site Specific
Brendan Kane – Peregrine Property Management
Charlotte Boudreau – Youth Development and Education Consultant
C. Alexander Chiulli, Esq. – Partner, Savage Law Partners LLP
Dashaun Simon – Mu Theta Lambda Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha, Providence
Jenny Bautista-Ravreby – Blue Cross & Blue Shield of RI
Matt Fair – Hayes & Sherry
Paul Cooney – Mutual of America
Ray Nunez – SQA Group
Rhonda Lapham – iHeartMedia
Richard Staples – Moderator, Town of Barrington
Sandra Cano – City of Pawtucket, Senator
Shelley Peterson – Councilor, Providence City Council
Tina Pedersen – RAMP real access motivates Progress
For more information about the BBBSRI Ambassadors group and how to get involved, visit BigsRI.org or contact BBBSRI at mentoring@bigsri.org.
