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BBBS Receives $5,000 Community Match from Priority Real Estate Group

Priority Launches Fundraising Campaign for Big Brother Big Sisters

This week we are highlighting a $5,000 Community Match Challenge benefitting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bath/Brunswick.  Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) matches and professionally supports one-to-one mentoring relationships between youth and adult volunteers.  These mentoring relationships have shown incredible improvements in the academic and personal success of local youth throughout their lives.

Children in BBBS programs face Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) at a higher rate than the average young person in America. These experiences are greatly compounded by anxiety, stress, fear and worry, in addition to social isolation and the significant disruption to their routines as a result of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

The outcomes for Littles (youth in the program) show staggering positive effects when they have a Big (adult volunteer) in their life.  After being in the program: 94% of Littles feel like they have a special adult they can turn to, 83% of Littles plan to graduate high school and college, 95% of Littles feel like they belong.

BBBS of Bath/Brunswick is a vital community organization but unfortunately Covid-19 forced changes in fundraising events, including the postponement of Bowl For Kids’ Sake that typically happens in April.  They’re anticipating unforeseen losses to their annual income so they began a fundraising appeal. Priority Real Estate Group, behind the leadership of Jim Howard, heard of the need, and pledged a donation of $5,000, with a challenge to other businesses to match it. 

Executive Director Lindsay MacDonald has this to say about the gift: “On behalf of the children we support through caring, consistent, healthy relationships during this time of upheaval, we thank our friends at Priority Real Estate Group for the $5,000 gift match opportunity. We are looking to leaders in this community for help at this time and Priority has answered the call in a truly amazing way. We hope that others in the community will follow Priority’s lead through a matching gift to ensure youth in our programs have a big future.” 

Leveraging the initial donation from Priority, BBBS was able to approach other businesses and community donors and they are working on confirming partial and full matches of that initial donation.  In fact, because of the community response, the BBBS Board of Directors has announced a new goal of $50,000 by August 1, with this initial $5,000 match donation from Priority as the catalyst. This goal would make up a great portion of the anticipated losses and keep BBBS doing the great work they do. 

If you are able to match any portion of the $5000, you can reach out to Lindsay and the BBBS staff with the contact information here.  Look for profiles over the next two weeks on Oasis Free Clinic and the Brunswick Area Teen Center in Community Matters.