From the President & CEODear friends, One of the values we uphold at Big Sister is courageous communication. To us, this means: “taking a risk, challenging norms, asking questions, owning our intent and our impact, listening, and seeking and accepting feedback in order to improve outcomes.” We want our Little Sisters to do the same. Whenever we have events, like Big in Boston, we make sure that our Little Sisters have the opportunity to use their voice. A few weeks ago, they had the chance to interview Governor Charlie Baker and First
Lady Lauren Baker. Another got the chance to tell her story, on her own terms. Our Junior Advisory Board, for Little Sisters age 14 – 24, is another space in which we are developing young leaders and encouraging them to use their voice to create change. These opportunities help girls build their confidence to speak out and to become engaged citizens. One of the most important actions our Little Sisters will take as citizens is to vote in elections. Right now, however, most are too young to cast a ballot in an election of the next President of the United States. The outcome of this election has a direct impact on Little Sisters and will have a ripple effect for years to come, as do all elections for the highest elected office in our country. The President sets the tone for what matters, how resources are spent, and teaches our children
how leaders behave. We encourage all members of the Big Sister community to use their voice by voting on November 3, and to think of the girls when you do. Let’s make sure that even though their vote won’t be counted, they will be. “Someone struggled for your right to vote. Use it.” ~Susan B. Anthony In gratitude,
Little Sister Aiyana's story in her own words.
Little Sister Aiyana Shares Her StoryIn case you missed it, one of the highlights of our Big in Boston virtual gala in September was Little Sister Aiyana, now 20 years old, sharing the story of her mentoring relationship with Big Sister Lindsay in her own words. In this video, you will hear about the positive impact that relationship has had, and continues to have, on Aiyana’s life.
Big and Little Sisters celebrate Halloween with us with looks that range from spooky to silly to superheroes, and everything in between!
#tbt to Halloween
Big Sister-styleOctober has traditionally been our time to celebrate the changing seasons and sisterhood at our annual Halloween party. It is one of many activities we host for Big and Little Sisters throughout the year that help strengthen their bond with each other, give them a chance to interact with other Sister matches, learn something new, and have fun together. Since we are unable to have an in-person event this year, we took a look back at some of the fun and festive costumes our Sisters have worn over the years—going back to the 1980s! We hope that everyone celebrates Halloween safely and responsibly this year. We look forward to seeing our spooky Sisters next year when we can hopefully gather together again.
School looks very different this year, but our commitment to serving girls virtually through our Site-Based Mentoring program remains strong.
Supporting Sisters in SchoolAn unprecedented school year has begun, bringing with it changes and challenges for everyone. At Big Sister, we are working hard to keep a sense of normalcy and consistency in the lives of our Little Sisters. Our staff are providing extra support to our Site-Based Mentoring Big and Little Sisters, who typically meet once a week at the Little Sisters’ school. More than 65% of our Site-Based Mentoring Big and Little Sister matches are continuing to meet with each other virtually. And, beginning this week, Big Sisters at three of our Workplace Mentoring partner companies will resume virtual visits with their Little Sisters. One Site-Based Mentoring Big Sister got creative with the activities she and her Little Sister have done together virtually, which include: video tours of each other’s homes, scavenger hunts, origami, needlepoint, making chocolate covered strawberries, games like Heads Up, Bowl Full of Nouns, Game of Life, watching Disney shorts, learning about mythology together, online typing race games, and Roblox. For many of the girls we serve as Little Sisters, their Big Sisters are a trusted, consistent presence in their lives, which makes keeping them connected all the more important during this difficult time. Another Big Sister recently shared the following with us: “My Little Sister is smart and motivated and very good at entertaining herself, and her parents enrolled her in a virtual summer school-type program this summer. That said, she has left her house maybe 2-3 times total since March. Her parents are essential workers, and they want to protect her, which limits her ability to get fresh air and social interaction at this time. She seems ok to me, but this is also why I’ve been so strict about continuing to meet with her once a week. She craves adult attention and social interaction.”
With this week’s announcement that Boston Public Schools are suspending all in-person learning, it will be even more vital to keep our girls connected to their Big
Sisters. As we continue to navigate this new, virtual world, we will tailor our support to meet the needs of the girls and women we serve.
Attention Shoppers...Whether you're shopping local or on the internet, we've got two great ways you can support our programs for Greater Boston's girls. Stop & Shop Community Bag Program For the month of November, Big Sister Boston will receive a $1 donation from each purchase of the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at the Stop & Shop store located at 1620 Tremont Street, Boston MA. AmazonSmile AmazonSmile customers can now support Big Sister Association of Greater Boston Inc in the Amazon shopping app on iOS and Android mobile phones! Simply follow these instructions to turn on AmazonSmile and start generating donations. - Open the Amazon Shopping app on your device
- Go into the main menu of the Amazon Shopping app and tap into 'Settings'
- Tap 'AmazonSmile' and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process
If you do not have the latest version of the Amazon Shopping app, update your app. Click here for instructions.
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