Area residents can make a huge impact by voting on Facebook
CAMARILLO – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County, a non-profit organization working to provide quality mentoring to children facing adversity is competing with charities nationwide for grants ranging from $10,000 to $250,000 from the Chase Community Giving program. Residents can help ensure their success by simply voting for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County through the Chase Community Giving program on Facebook. Voting runs between September 6 – 19, 2012, the organization reported this week in a media release.
Through the use of social media networks, the Chase Community Giving program has already directed more than $20 million dollars toward charities nationwide, putting the power to bring positive change across the nation into the hands of those who need it most. Due to enthusiasm, the program is being continued this year, giving hundreds of additional charities, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County the opportunity to win grants to further their mission.
“With these valuable financial resources from the Chase Community Giving program, Big Brothers Big Sisters will be able to increase our capacity to provide quality mentoring services to more of our children in the lowest performing schools in our community,” Lynne West, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County stated in the release. “Our statistically proven mentoring model demonstrates true value in educational success as well as avoidance of risky behaviors. Our mentoring outcomes include ensuring our youth graduate from high school on-time, reduce juvenile delinquency, and better prepare our youth for the transition into higher education and eventually the workforce.”
The Fall 2012 round of the Chase Community Giving program is designed to benefit smaller and local charities by being limited to 501(c)3 charities with operating budgets under $10 million. The top eligible charity receives $250,000 and the remaining 195 top charities earn $10,000 through $100,000 awards, for a total of $5 million dollars in grants.
With the support of our volunteers, fans and local residents, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County has the opportunity to get much needed resources to implement big changes, the organization reported.
“Being a mentor has been lots of fun. I had no idea what to expect and I can’t believe I have been a mentor for three years,” Jairo Hernandez, a Big Brother with the Santa Paula site-based mentoring program, stated in the release. “I have been able to spent time with my ‘Little’ who reminds me a lot of myself when I was his age. The experience has really helped me to become more responsible and I feel like I have the opportunity to mentor others to do the same.”
How You Can Help
You can help Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County receive up to $250,000 by simply visiting Facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving and casting your vote!
If you have questions about Big Brothers Big Sisters or would like to get involved, please contact Pedro A. Chavez by emailing pchavez@bbsvc.org or call 805-484-2282, ext. 16.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County:
For more than 100 years nationally and 43 locally, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, professionally supported matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people. Learn how you can positively impact a child’s life, donate, or volunteer at www.bbsvc.org or call 805-484-2282.
About Chase Community Giving:
Chase Community Giving is grant program inspiring a new way of corporate philanthropy by letting participants vote to help determine which small and local non-profits will receive donations from Chase. The program has given away over $20 million in grants to charities nationwide, with focuses including animals & environment; education; health; military & veterans; poverty; and the arts. To learn more about the program, visit Facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving.
