Summer is coming to an end just as fast as it started and our School-Based Case Manager, Lauren Rought, is gearing up for another great year. Last year our monthly activities consisted of games and crafts inspired by Pixar movies. Students had a lot of fun and Lauren enjoyed getting to know all of them. Our program increased by 34 brand new matches and saw the rematch of several others whose Bigs or Littles had graduated or moved the previous year. This year, our monthly theme is, "Popular Children's Books". Lauren will be exposing the Littles to some of her favorite books from when she was a child such as : Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Day; Where the Wild Things Are; The Giving Tree and many more!
If you know of a 7th-11th grader in Athens, Canton, Northeast, Sullivan, Towanda or Wyalusing School Districts who want to spend 1 hour per week mentoring a child; tell them to seek out an application from their guidance office.

We are so happy to announce that we have opened an office for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Twin Tiers in Wellsboro, PA. Here our Tioga County Community-Based Case Managers  will be able to make calls; meet with Littles and prospective Bigs; and complete daily office duties. In addition, our new Tioga County Board, established in November of 2016, will have a set location to hold their bi-monthly meetings to discuss ways our organization can benefit the area. Have no fear; our main office in Towanda, PA is still up and running. However, we are very excited about this expansion as our Tioga County Program Specialist, Jill has so graciously been working without an office space for 4 years! We hope this space will see the continuation and start of many successful matches in the near future!

If you or someone you know live in Tioga, County PA and would like to become a BIG;
CONTACT US TODAY!

BBBS Twin Tiers: Tioga, PA office
1873 Shumway Hill. Road
Wellsboro PA 16901
(570) 502-2282

Now that we have practically ended the chilly days of Winter and early Spring; it is time to start thinking about what you and your Little can do together this Summer. Below is a list of 10 suggestions or events happening in the Twin Tiers from June-August.

1. Athens Summer Concert Series: Starting June 8th in Teaoga Square. Visit their facebook page for the lineup.
2. Recreation Park in Binghamton has free carousel rides until 8pm. Going on daily until September 4th.
3. The Endicott Performing Arts Center: Classic Fairy Tales from June 23-25th
4. Old Fashion Summer Carnival at the Discovery Center in Binghamton. June 27th from 10am-3:30pm: A celebration of the end of school with games, entertainment and a barbecue lunch!
5. French Azilum Family Fun Day: On July 1st there will be a day of food, games and animals. Visit www.frenchazilum.com for more info.
6. 2nd Annual Smithfield Township Summer Festival: July 15th starting at 10am in East Smithfield. For ticket information visit www.smithfieldtownshipbc.org.
7.  142nd Annual Troy Fair: July 24th-29th. For tickets and more information visit http://www.troyfair.com/
8. Broome County Fair: July 25th-30th Visit www.broomecountyfairny.com
9. Spiedie Fest & Balloon Rally: August 4-6 at Ostiningo Park in Binghamton, NY
10. Bradford County Youth Field Day: August 26th in Troy, PA
Visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/

We hope you have a fantastic Summer!
-Lauren

The end of the school year is fast-approaching and, truthfully, I have no idea how it happened. It seems like just yesterday I was packing up all of my belongings and moving 1,300 miles from my hometown and family. Now, I can't imagine life without these Bigs and Littles in the Big Buddy Program. I see them all at least once, some a bit more, throughout the month and I feel my face light up just as much as theirs. I get the opportunity to eat lunch with the Littles and just chat about life and the match with their buddy. We have a special relationship as I am not there to counsel them or even tutor them if they are having trouble at school or at home but they know they can talk to me. As we near the end, I've planned a celebration at each of the 6 school-districts that we serve. All Bigs and Littles will join me for games, crafts and snacks centered around Finding Dory; to conclude our PIXAR-themed activities. It is also a chance for Bigs to receive contact information for their Littles so that they can write letters to them over the summer. I am looking forward to seeing all of their smiling faces within the next few weeks and sending them off with a SPLASH into Summer!!!
-Lauren Rought
 School-Based Case Manager for Bradford/Sullivan Counties

      A recent Facebook post made by a foster mom has gone viral. In her post, this mom expresses the deep need for loving, caring individuals to step-up and get involved in the life of a child in need. Sarah, the mom, shared how her 13-year old foster son had to sit through a court hearing where the judge questioned if anybody did and then declared that nobody wanted him. She went on to discuss the ridiculous expectations that society has placed on these children; how they are labeled and chastised for behaviors and attitudes that are a direct result of their situation. They are CHILDREN and we've expected them to respond in ways that even most adults, given the same lot, couldn't do.
Click here to read the original post.

      Not everyone is able to foster a child but many people have the skills and resources to mentor. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a great avenue for adults who feel compelled to pour into the life of an at-risk youth. Our volunteers spend 4-8 hours every two weeks with their Little. Together, they participate in mutually interested activities such as: hiking, movies, cooking, going to concerts or whatever they enjoy doing in their spare time.
Currently, we have quite a few Littles on the waiting list in Bradford County.

    If you or someone you know would be a great role model and would be committed to a 1-1 mentoring relationship with a child in your community; please contact us at 570-265-3009 or begin the online enrollment process through this link: Become a Big

715
That is the number of child abuse cases investigated by Bradford County Children and Youth Services in 2016 alone. This number is not a representation of children but of cases which can involve multiple individuals in the home. According to the National Association of Adult Survivors of Child Abuse, 90% of children involved in these cases are abused by someone they know, love or trust.  BBBS of the Twin Tiers takes child safety very seriously. Knowing that our Bigs spend 2-4 hours a week with their Little we employ policies and procedures that promote the highest level of child safety and protection. This is why thorough background checks are performed on each and every volunteer and why our case managers maintain monthly contact with each member of a match. We want to ensure that all matches are adhering to our standards of practice. Respectively, our Bigs are also mandated reporters. If they even suspect that their Little is being abused, they are to report it to the child abuse hotline and our agency immediately.
Sadly, many unreported cases do not go unseen; someone knows or has a suspicion. If you know or suspect that a child is being abused please do not hesitate to call
CYS @ (570) 265-1760 or the Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-932-0313

The Hoof It 4 Kids: Annual 5K Glow Run is fast approaching. The track at Tioga Downs is magically transformed into a family-friendly course fit for the night owl. Join us on April 14th at 8pm for this "fun run". T-Shirt and refreshments are included in the registration fee. Sign up at https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Nichols/HoofItForTheKidsGlow5kRun

Deadline to Register is Friday, April 7th
All proceeds benefit BBBS Twin Tiers and are used to continue providing mentors
to at-risk youth in the 5 counties we serve!

To Become a Volunteer:
Step 1: Visit Our "Get Involved/Become a Big" Page
Step 2: Complete our online inquiry
Step 3. Download and fill out our Volunteer Application
Step 4: Mail your completed application to 10 Park St. Suite 2 Towanda, PA 18848
           or Fax to (570) 265-4389
Step 5: Work with our Enrollment Specialist and Case Manager to complete your file
Step 6: Meet your Little and Start Something Big!
To Donate:
Step 1: Visit Our "Donate" Page
Step 2: Use our the "Donate Now" Button to make donations via paypal or credit/debit card.

We at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Twin Tiers are beyond grateful for your interest in helping us further reach "at risk" youth in your community!

Each year Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates around the nation host a fundraising event to support the costs of their agencies. Bowlers are members of the community who have dedicated some time and effort into helping raise funds so that we can continue serving more and more children. Currently, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Twin Tiers has over 30 community-based and 100 school-based matches. These are managed by 3 case workers and our Executive Director who maintain monthly contact with each member of the match. In addition, our agency covers the cost of child abuse clearances and background checks to ensure the safety of our Littles. To us, Bowl For Kids' Sake is not only a fun time but a chance to offset some of those costs. This year, we are hosting two BFKS events. The first will be in Mansfield, PA at Maple Lanes on Friday, April 28th from 7:30-10:30pm. The second event will be held in Waverly, NY at Valley Bowling Center on Saturday, May 6th from 1:00-4:00pm. Teams are made up of 4 individuals with a combined registration fee of $20 and then we ask that your team try to raise some more funds. Bowlers will receive a free T-Shirt, shoes, light refreshments and 3 full hours of bowling. There will even be prizes for funds raised, bowling scores and a 50/50 raffle. Will you join us in our efforts to make 2017 the greatest year we've had yet?!