Local Mentoring Agency Receives National Honor

For the second year in a row, a local mentoring agency is being recognized nationally for its work.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa has been identified by the National Leadership Council of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America as a 2014 Quality Award Winner.

The Agency was selected based on certain service criterion, including high retention rates of local “matches” and exceptional service through program administration.

“This award acknowledges the hard work of agency leadership and staff to provide high-quality programming to the children we serve and I am proud that we have been recognized for it,” commented Katie Klein, Program Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa.

Annually, the Waterloo-based agency serves nearly 300 children in Northeast Iowa. The organization strives to develop a positive relationship between the Big and Little to have a direct and lasting effect on the young person’s life.

As the nation’s largest mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful and monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”). Research proves that the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program has a long-lasting impact on the children they serve. Children in the program are 52% less likely to skip school, 46% less likely to use illegal drugs, and 27% more likely to receive a four-year degree.

To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa and how to support us as a volunteer or a financial contributor, visit www.iowabigs.org or call 319-235-9397.