Federal Government Cuts Half Million Dollars in Funding for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area
San Francisco, CA, July 21, 2011 --(PR.com)-- Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area (BBBSBA) has lost a half-million dollars for its critically important Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program (MCOP), which serves hundreds of the Bay Area’s most at-risk and vulnerable children. The $500,000 federal grant from the United States Department of Health and Human Services was earmarked to enable BBBSBA to provide one-to-one mentoring services to children with one – or both – parents currently incarcerated, many of whom had never had a positive adult role model.
“This is the most significant challenge we have ever faced. However, eliminating these crucial services to some of the Bay Area’s most vulnerable children is simply not an option,” said Marcia Hodges, Chief Executive Officer of BBBSBA. “These children have shown measurable improvement as a result of their participation in the program and we are committed to doing whatever we can to keep MCOP alive. To do so, we are turning to the community to help raise funds to compensate for the deficit we currently face.”
Over the next three months, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area will turn to the Bay Area community and undertake an ambitious fundraising effort to secure funding and ensure the future of MCOP. To make a difference, support local children who need this funding and learn more about MCOP, please visit http://www.bbbsba.org, or visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bbbsba. In addition, the community can use their mobile phones to text the word “DONATE” to 40579 to make a $5 donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters*
With a surging prison population in California, the number of children with incarcerated parents is higher than ever and there is a need for continued mentoring services for children of prisoners. BBBSBA’s mentoring services have a measurable impact as studies show youths matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister for 18 months or more are:
· 46% less likely to begin using drugs
· 50% less likely to skip class
· 32% less likely to use violence than non-mentored peers
“Before I met my Big Brother Benny I wasn’t doing well in school. Grades weren’t a priority and I wasn’t thinking about college,” said Drakari, a 15-year-old Little Brother from San Francisco. “My Big Brother has his own business, has his life together and it makes me want to be like him.”
*One-time $5.00 donation is charged to your wireless bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Messaging & Data Rates May Apply.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area
Founded locally in 1958, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area serves over 1,100 children annually in five Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, and San Mateo. Part of the oldest, largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the US, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area is an independent 501c3 nonprofit that receives no direct national funding. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area differs from other mentorship organizations by focusing on one-on-one mentoring that has a proven and measurable positive impact. Surveys of matches that have been together for at least one year have shown that 94% of children with low self esteem improved their self confidence, 90% felt more positively about their future, and 100% of failing students improved their GPAs. As a local nonprofit supported by donors and volunteers, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area provides and professionally supports enduring one-to-one relationships of at least one year that help children reach their unlimited potential. To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area, please visit www.bbbsba.org.
About MCOP Program
Due to a surging prison population nationwide, the number of children with incarcerated parents is higher than ever before[1]. Here in California, the prison population has been growing at an even faster rate than the national average and our state now has the largest prison system in the entire country. The impact this has on children of prisoners is significant. Government Studies have found[2]:
Children of prisoners are more likely to live in poverty. 1 in 4 incarcerated mothers in California report an income of less than $200/month in the month prior to their arrest.
Children of prisoners are more likely to have been homeless. 1 in 4 mothers incarcerated in CA prisons report living on the street or in a shelter for some or all of the year before their arrest. Homelessness is more prevalent among mothers in CA prisons than among mothers incarcerated in other states.
Children of prisoners are more likely to have drug use occur in the home. Parents incarcerated in CA prisons report higher rates of drug use at the time of their offense than did parents in other state prisons.
Children of prisoners are more likely to be raised by relatives or other caregivers. Children of prisoners experience a range of factors that put them highly at-risk for unhealthy behaviors and academic failure. These kids don’t know any college graduates and many don’t even have a high school graduate in their family. Their future isn’t defined by goals, but by expectations. “Because of her circumstances, my Little Sister thought it was normal for a person to go to jail. She was expecting to go to jail when she grew up like everyone else.” - Big Sister Jill, about her 10-year old Little Sister
[1] Incarcerated Parents and Their Children – Trends 1991 – 2007. Mauer, M., Nellis, A., Schirmir, S. The Sentencing Project February 2009
[2] California State Prisoners With Children: Findings From Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities
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“This is the most significant challenge we have ever faced. However, eliminating these crucial services to some of the Bay Area’s most vulnerable children is simply not an option,” said Marcia Hodges, Chief Executive Officer of BBBSBA. “These children have shown measurable improvement as a result of their participation in the program and we are committed to doing whatever we can to keep MCOP alive. To do so, we are turning to the community to help raise funds to compensate for the deficit we currently face.”
Over the next three months, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area will turn to the Bay Area community and undertake an ambitious fundraising effort to secure funding and ensure the future of MCOP. To make a difference, support local children who need this funding and learn more about MCOP, please visit http://www.bbbsba.org, or visit us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/bbbsba. In addition, the community can use their mobile phones to text the word “DONATE” to 40579 to make a $5 donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters*
With a surging prison population in California, the number of children with incarcerated parents is higher than ever and there is a need for continued mentoring services for children of prisoners. BBBSBA’s mentoring services have a measurable impact as studies show youths matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister for 18 months or more are:
· 46% less likely to begin using drugs
· 50% less likely to skip class
· 32% less likely to use violence than non-mentored peers
“Before I met my Big Brother Benny I wasn’t doing well in school. Grades weren’t a priority and I wasn’t thinking about college,” said Drakari, a 15-year-old Little Brother from San Francisco. “My Big Brother has his own business, has his life together and it makes me want to be like him.”
*One-time $5.00 donation is charged to your wireless bill or deducted from your prepaid balance. Messaging & Data Rates May Apply.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area
Founded locally in 1958, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area serves over 1,100 children annually in five Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Francisco, and San Mateo. Part of the oldest, largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the US, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area is an independent 501c3 nonprofit that receives no direct national funding. Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area differs from other mentorship organizations by focusing on one-on-one mentoring that has a proven and measurable positive impact. Surveys of matches that have been together for at least one year have shown that 94% of children with low self esteem improved their self confidence, 90% felt more positively about their future, and 100% of failing students improved their GPAs. As a local nonprofit supported by donors and volunteers, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area provides and professionally supports enduring one-to-one relationships of at least one year that help children reach their unlimited potential. To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area, please visit www.bbbsba.org.
About MCOP Program
Due to a surging prison population nationwide, the number of children with incarcerated parents is higher than ever before[1]. Here in California, the prison population has been growing at an even faster rate than the national average and our state now has the largest prison system in the entire country. The impact this has on children of prisoners is significant. Government Studies have found[2]:
Children of prisoners are more likely to live in poverty. 1 in 4 incarcerated mothers in California report an income of less than $200/month in the month prior to their arrest.
Children of prisoners are more likely to have been homeless. 1 in 4 mothers incarcerated in CA prisons report living on the street or in a shelter for some or all of the year before their arrest. Homelessness is more prevalent among mothers in CA prisons than among mothers incarcerated in other states.
Children of prisoners are more likely to have drug use occur in the home. Parents incarcerated in CA prisons report higher rates of drug use at the time of their offense than did parents in other state prisons.
Children of prisoners are more likely to be raised by relatives or other caregivers. Children of prisoners experience a range of factors that put them highly at-risk for unhealthy behaviors and academic failure. These kids don’t know any college graduates and many don’t even have a high school graduate in their family. Their future isn’t defined by goals, but by expectations. “Because of her circumstances, my Little Sister thought it was normal for a person to go to jail. She was expecting to go to jail when she grew up like everyone else.” - Big Sister Jill, about her 10-year old Little Sister
[1] Incarcerated Parents and Their Children – Trends 1991 – 2007. Mauer, M., Nellis, A., Schirmir, S. The Sentencing Project February 2009
[2] California State Prisoners With Children: Findings From Survey of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities
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Contact
Big Brothers Big Sisters Bay Area
Zach Colvin
310-880-4314
www.bbbsba.org/
Zach Colvin
310-880-4314
www.bbbsba.org/
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