Big Brothers Big Sisters of Calgary and Area received its single largest donation in the agency’s history, $650,000, on Wednesday.
The organization said the money will go toward matching more young people with mentors, assisting with staff supports, and creating more experiences for matches.
According to a news release, in 2019, 64 per cent of BBBS Calgary’s community program mentees had four or more childhood adversities, including mental illness, grief, and stress. That number has since grown to 86 per cent.
At its annual general meeting, Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) announced the donation by the Canadian Progress Club, a not-for-profit fellowship of charitable-minded Canadians.
“This donation from CPC is the latest in a long history of support, reminding us that mentoring is a cause worth investing in big. It sends a signal to the community about what mentoring means,” said Ken Lima-Coelho, president and CEO for BBBS of Calgary and Area.
“A healthy adult who wants to invest their time and energy into creating that relationship can be transformational.”
“It can literally train the brains of those kids and impact the opportunities they will seek in the future. This donation helps us do that.”
The CPC has donated more than $7 million to BBBS Calgary and Area to date.