Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County Awarded Mentoring Grant

GREENFIELD — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County (BBBS-FC) announced it has been awarded a mentoring matching grant of $23,431 from Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP), a statewide organization fueling the movement to expand empowering youth-adult relationships in Massachusetts. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County is one of 32 mentoring programs throughout the Commonwealth to receive such a grant.

Funding for the grants stems from Gov. Charlie Baker’s FY16 budget, where it was funded at $500,000 through the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It is unique in its use of private-sector support, as grantees are required to match, dollar-for-dollar, the total amount awarded with cash or in-kind resources.

The award money from the mentoring matching grant will be used to create and supervise new matches with adult mentors and children in Franklin County and the North Quabbin region, and to support the matches already involved in the program.

“The funding provided by this grant will allow us to strengthen and expand our programming and reach more children in our community who are in need of positive role models and additional support,” said BBBS-FC Executive Director Danielle Letourneau-Therrien.

Funded programs are awarded through a competitive RFP process and community review administered by MMP, and receive training, technical support, and mentor-recruitment assistance from MMP.

“We are proud to invest in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County with a mentoring matching grant,” MMP President and CEO Marty Martinez said. “This critical funding will allow Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County to support their matches with quality-based, research-driven practices and resources that ensure youth are given every opportunity to develop into productive, successful adults.”

Across Massachusetts, mentoring matching grants will create and support 1,525 high-quality matches — 202 more than last year. It will also support existing matches, leading to improved mentee grades, attendance, and attitude toward school, which in turn leads to increased graduation rates, and a better-prepared, more skilled sector of entry-level workers.