Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Al | Application Preview
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General Information
Business Registration Number: BBBS
Location: GADSDEN, AL, United States
Length of Operation: 11plus
Number of Employees: 1-10 Employees
Annual Gross Income: $250k to $500k
Annual Gross Expense: $250k to $500k
Open to Loans: NO
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Funding Usage
Expand our BBBS STEM/SEL Mentoring, mental health services, trauma informed facilitation for a longer time period in order to include future planning, and workforce development to combat the "gap" of services/opportunities in the "gap" of Appalachian. We have MOUs with Calhoun, Cherokee, Talladega, Etowah, and Dekalb. Three highly qualified staff have full caseloads, and the demand for services is high, and only increasing. Programs are highly effective but are at capacity. Our expenses have increased while funding and donations decreased. To be effective and high quality you must be trained and certified to work with mental health, trauma, and developmental growth of youth, and families.
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Business Plan
We plan to align our expertise, and effectiveness to grants that allow for a multi tiered, comprehensive approach that go way beyond prevention, or STEM. Conventional grants are limited by time, and outdated concepts of prevention and how to truly embed prevention in daily habits, decisions, and everyday life. Fundraising and marketing will reflect our mission, focused on JEDI, and directly include those we serve. Events will celebrate our communities, enrich through culturally appropriate festivals, performances, and showcases. Our partnerships with Gadsden State, YMCA, Jacksonville State, and others will provide space, resources, and support for equitable STEM programs designed to decrease the "gap" of services and opportunities, and to intentionally to hold meeting, events, and programs on college campuses, with services, skills training, work force development support in view and available. Creating STEM events to celebrate Littles' strengths means a child misunderstood, at risk, becomes a leaders, and parents frequently involved increases the chance of graduating high school, plan of skills training, CDL, any career or job field or college degree. BBBS provides future job/career readiness curriculum through Level All programs. We plan to search for corporate, industrial sponsors in Appalachia with a portfolio of concrete evidence, including educational leaders letters of recommendations, and support. We have already have quotes and evidence but we are looking for the appropriate audience. Appalachia is in a crisis. We are ranked 51 in the US for services for Identified Behavioral Disorders/Emotionally Disturbed. Last in the nation due largely to the "gap" of services provided to communities of Appalachia. BBBS NEAL service region is 100% in Appalachia. BBBS is a low cost investment, in high demand, and smart if the ramifications of not addressing the problem fully. Alabama educational, cultural, and economical future depends on innovation, and expertise to address such a complex problem. An interagency approach is the only solution. Community and economic development, mental and physical health disparities, unemployment, under skilled work force, suicide, substance abuse, domestic abuse statistics, incarcerated mothers, the future of our youth, work force, economical health is all linked. Each committee, task force, or council can solve it alone. To change predicted outcomes you have to address the root of the problem with youth, and families. Our piloted STEAM/SEL programs in Etowah and Cherokee were highly effective, so we have data. Middle and high school students were most receptive in student led STEAM projects. Based on research, extending the frequency and duration of our programs would shape work force development, and the economy. I trust we will get investors, partners, and support from state/federal institutions. I dedicated my life to the potential of Alabama's underserved, and I know the impact. ( state champions in Science, Technology, Environmental Science, Moon buggy competition at NASA, Auburn Un Best Program, Lego League) all with nontraditional learners, "at-risk" and youth experiencing trauma, or had PTSD. I designed programs WITH them and for them. I designed literacy programs, NASA STEM, Film making/digital art, coding, drama, creative writing, performance based programs for ages 8-25. They were highly effective. I am a STEM specialist, AMSTI Trainer, Science in Motion Trainer, Intel Project Based Learning Specialist, special ed/collaborative teacher, gifted specialist (HS) and educational leader/administrator. The youth mental health crisis led me to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Alabama where I am currently the director. I am training my staff on Project Based STEAM/SEL Programming/Best Practices, (NGSS and CASEL) My expertise in learning diversity, equitable STEM Programming, special education, behavioral interventionist, high school gifted specialist, and the success of programs developed over 27 years with Calhoun County Schools will ensure that interventions and services of our programs evidence based, and practical. My commitment and passion to develop the potential of youth of the Appalachian, married with certifications in mental health/trauma and prevention/mentoring sciences of my professional staff is a great investment due to the comprehensive approach to our most challenging problems: youth trauma, mental health crisis, utilize and respect the nuero-science of trusting relationships/mentoring, AND future planning for job readiness/workforce. Investors are "numbers" people, and the despair of the Appalachian (our entire service region is Appalachian) is demonstrated by lack basic services like Physical/mental health, internet connection, employment training/opportunities, cultural or enrichment opportunities. BBBS is trained and ready to provide mental illness prevention (substance abuse, domestic violence, bullying provides training, and programs for families, and we are trained an prepared to expand. We are prepared, thousands of dollars invested in training and a staff of BS of Holistic Wellness and Youth Development, Psychology Major/certified Trauma Responder and Mental Health Aid, Trauma Informed Social Worker/Mental Health Aid, and Special Education Para Pro, and led by a STEM Teacher, Learning Specialist, Admin/Instructional Leader. Mentoring is the most cost effective intervention available https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED594110.pdf ( Luehmann and Markowitz 2007)
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Self Identified Competition
No one really. In Etowah County it is United Way, and Family Success. Nonprofits have a cultural of their own, and no learning specialist, or administrators. United Way "black out period" has prevented us from raising sponsorships and donations the last few months and our funds are low. Big Brothers Big Sisters is the only one-to-one mentoring organization in our five-county service area. Our program is different because each enrolled child is carefully matched with a screened, trained, caring volunteer mentor, who is committed to one year of service. Some matches develop into a lifelong friendships. We monitor the match relationship throughout the lifetime of the match, measure the outcomes, ensuring each match, provide training and are accountable that each child in our program achieves its full potential and positive youth outcomes, attaining higher aspirations, greater confidence, better relationships, avoidance of risky behaviors, and educational success. We are the only mentoring program that is supported by United Way in three of our service counties and the only mentoring agency listed with our area Chambers. Our services are free to participants there are not dues or fees to participate with Big Brothers Big Sisters. This year marks our 41th year of serving youth through mentoring, that would not have been possible without the support of our community, United Way and the Alabama Department of Child Abuse Neglect Prevention. To truly meet the needs Appalachian communities, our programs have to respond to our outcome data, CDC, Surgeon General, and Alabama Mental Health Statistics. No other program in the state or nation is equipped with the insight, expertise, and the support and resources of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. I do not know of one Out of School Youth program that is true STEM. If children are all doing the same thing, or following linear instructions on a page, that is not STEM, not innovation, nor is it creative. But, stakeholders, investors, leaders, and most educators do not know the difference. Our program focuses entirely on our future goals, and how to get youth their based on where they are at now. NO other organization has the ability, expertise or desire to address the needs of our region by offering STEM/SEL mentoring programs , frequent mental health services, and future work force planning. We currently have MOUs with Calhoun, Etowah, Cherokee, Talladega and Dekalb County School Districts, as well as Gadsden City, Sardis City, Piedmont, and City of Jacksonville.
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