November | 2020

Giving Season is upon us. We know there are many organizations you can give to and we hope to be included in your charitable giving. As you know, CBBBSLA is a non-profit organization that helps youth, of all beliefs, backgrounds and identities in Los Angeles County, reach their fullest potential through one-to-one mentoring relationships. Indeed, 100% of the children matched with a CBBBSLA mentor graduate from high school, and their lives are changed forever.

Working in partnership and augmenting the activities of our volunteer mentors, our staff is adding to the virtual experience of our youth. We are productively continuing our mission and we need your help more than ever to support our work, provide enhanced virtual activities and match more children with mentors. Whatever you can give helps.

For example CBBBS matches and families participated in a Bottle Rocket Quest with engineers from Northrop Grumman Corporation! Manuel Carrasco, one of our own grown Little Brothers & adult Big Brother, along with fellow professional engineers from the Adelante Northrop Grumman group taught us about science, space exploration and careers in technology with a virtual guided bottle rocket experiment and launch. We appreciate their partnership and the knowledge they provided our group.

CBBBSLA believes that all kids deserve to experience the joy that comes with havinga mentor especially during these trying times. On behalf of Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles County, we thank you in advance and welcome your generosity this challenging Christmas season.

-Ken Martinet
Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters, CEO/President

October | 2020

This year has been one like no other. With the menacing health threat of the Corona virus and the civil unrest, the children, families and communities we serve need our help more than ever. We have not only pivoted our programs to accommodate distance mentoring but have also become advocates of survival assistance. Primarily our children are safely monitored and mentored ensuring the opportunities of a chance to achieve life’s potential.

CBBBS is providing access referrals for food, healthcare and social services for those hit hardest by the pandemic and economic disasters. Now we need your financial support the most. In less than one month, our agency and our supporters will be delivering food and gifts to the families in our programs. Last year we served almost 500 individuals at our Holiday Christmas party. We hope to reach the same number this year in a drive through format.

This can only be successful with your help. Santa can only do so much by socially distancing! Through the unselfish work of our volunteers and guidance of our professional staff, youth are finding life’s success and giving back to the community.

For example, Stephanie Jarin and her daughter Bella have volunteered at our office in previous years to prep for our Holiday events and purchase winter coats for designated families. They are offering the help again before the Holiday event. They want to help those affected by the current situation even more this year. They know that our programs work and that almost 100% of our Littles graduate from High School and go on to further their education.

For details on ways to support our efforts visit www.catholicbigbrothers.org.

-Ken Martinet
Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters, CEO/President

September | 2020

A very BIG thanks to our friend and well known artist Marijane Hebert for conducting a group painting session and for sponsoring the supplies for our Bigs and Littles. Painting is a fun and interactive way to relieve stress and expand and cultivate creative and emotional growth. While providing a creative outlet for our matches, every mentor and mentee had a great time and showcased their artistic talent.

Schools not being totally open, CBBBS uses distance methods and when face-to-face mentoring is possible again, we are committed to provide the additional support needed to ensure these relationships stay strong during these uncertain times.

The talent was beaming through the screens for this session, we couldn’t be more proud with the final paintings. All were inspired. Many thanks Marijane and we look forward to the nest session.

-Ken Martinet Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters, CEO/President

August | 2020

Thanks to your support, we have been able to pivot our services and even improve the mission of helping our youth to find their way in these very challenging times. Though their lives are getting harder to navigate because many live in confined conditions with little access to resources, having an adult mentor is a blessing many parents/guardians have said. We are still able to screen, train, orient adult volunteers and match them to a waiting youth in need of a role model today. In fact, because of the social awareness of giving back and wanting to help to bring equity to underserved youth, our number of volunteer inquiries has increased – especially our much-needed male volunteers.

Another dimension is that our Professional staff has taken up the challenge to provide even more resources to the Big/Little pairs because they can’t meet with each other for now. They are sending referrals for food, supplies and community resources to families. They are organizing creative ZOOM activities that are educational and recreational for the mentoring matches to continue their relationship  development during this social distant time. Our work has pivoted from encouraging potential to adding a source of survival.

In several Newsletters our staff has produced, there is pertinent information helping graduates to transition to college. Advice about virtual learning, searching for financial aid, registration and orientation has been sent to our youth. Likewise, advice for transitioning High School students regarding college and career planning, lists and virtual college tour sources, comparisons of costs and academic ratings, steps for applying, writing personal statements, test preparation, and choosing a future path are provided to our matches to review and follow through newsletters and personal advice. Encouragement is given to younger students to do well in school, consider their interests and choose courses and actions wisely, meet teachers and get involved in extra-curricular activities.

Working in partnership and augmenting the activities of our volunteer mentors, our staff is adding to the virtual experience of our youth. In one case a graduating Little Sister has been able to enter college – the first in her family – with the caring advice of her CBBBS staff consultant. In many cases the staff is taking up the role of the volunteer due to the “distancing” protocols. The bottom line is that we are productively continuing our mission and we need your help more than ever to support our work and provide enhanced virtual activities.

– Ken Martinet, Catholic Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO/President