BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL NEBRASKA
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AGENCY NEWS

WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY

6/1/2020

 
We are defenders of potential. We ignite the power and promise of youth. As partners to Bigs and Littles, parents and guardians, we walk side-by-side to defend potential. This work is more critical than ever before.

Our Black and Brown youth have faced injustice. They have been called racial slurs, been targets of microaggressions, and more at the hands of both youth and adults in our community. Others across this country and in our State have lost their lives.

We have a responsibility to educate ourselves and to clear a path for the voices of Black and Brown people. Defending potential means that we will stand up for what is right and take action to support our Black and Brown Littles, their families, and all people of color.
​

As we navigate this time, learn to be anti-racist and non-complacent, we will also continue to utilize the power of relationships to build connections, reduce barriers, and defend potential.

COVID - 19 PANDEMIC PLAN - UPDATE

4/30/2020

 
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL NEBRASKA REMAINS COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR BIGS, LITTLES, FAMILIES, EMPLOYEES AND SUPPORTERS HEALTHY AND SAFE.  WE ARE CONTINUE TO TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19).

As participants and/or supporters of our program, we want to communicate openly with you about our procedures and plans during this pandemic.


THE PLAN BELOW REMAINS IN EFFECT DESPITE THE GOVERNOR'S CHANGES BEGINNING MAY 4. 

Our community remains high risk and our the health and safety of our matches, staff, and the entire community remains our number one priority. 

IN EFFECT NOW:
  • BBBSCN Staff will work remotely indefinitely.
  • No new match outings will be planned until further notice.
  • School Based matches will continue to receive support and assistance to stay connected throughout the Spring. 
  • Bigs and Littles will not participate in in-person match outings and instead focus on building a friendship through email, phone, text, FaceTime, etc. This will remain in effect indefinitely. Please contact your Match Support Specialist for ideas on how to stay connected.
  • New Bigs and Littles are welcome to apply. Enrollment functions will continue with modifications.

EVENTS:
  • BBBSCN will not participate in community events indefinitely.
  • Bowl for Kids’ Sake is postponed until further plans can be made.

​Thank you to all of our Bigs, Littles and their families for your understanding and commitment to one another. 


Thank you for your continued support of the BBBSCN mission and all you do to defend potential in our community.

COVID - 19 Pandemic Plan - UPDATE

4/1/2020

 
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL NEBRASKA REMAINS COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR BIGS, LITTLES, FAMILIES, EMPLOYEES AND SUPPORTERS HEALTHY AND SAFE.  WE ARE CONTINUE TO TAKE STEPS TO PREVENT SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19).

As participants and/or supporters of our program, we want to communicate openly with you about our procedures and plans during this pandemic.

IN EFFECT NOW:
  • BBBSCN Staff will work remotely indefinitely.
  • No new match outings will be planned until further notice.
  • School Based matches will continue to receive support and assistance to stay connected throughout the Spring. 
  • Bigs and Littles will not participate in in-person match outings and instead focus on building a friendship through email, phone, text, FaceTime, etc. This will remain in effect indefinitely. Please contact your Match Support Specialist for ideas on how to stay connected.
  • New Bigs and Littles are welcome to apply. Enrollment functions will continue with modifications.

EVENTS:
  • BBBSCN will not participate in community events indefinitely.
  • Bowl for Kids’ Sake is postponed until further plans can be made.

Thank you for your continued support of the BBBSCN mission and all you do to defend potential in our community.

COVID - 19 Stimulus Letter

3/24/2020

 
Dear Senators Fischer and Sasse, Representatives Bacon, Fortenberry and Smith,
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Nebraska urges you to consider the needs of nonprofits in any upcoming COVID-19 stimulus legislation. Specifically, we ask the bill expressly allocate and include $60 billion for charitable nonprofits. We ask you to support Senator James Lankford’s amendment to improve the above-the-line charitable deduction by raising the cap to $4,000 and allowing all taxpayers to immediately claim the deduction on 2019 taxes and afterwards.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Nebraska (BBBCN) creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. In this, we nurture children and strengthen community. BBBSCN serves Hall, Hamilton, Howard, and Merrick counties; we have counterparts that serve youth, mentors and families across Nebraska. Not only has the pandemic paralyzed our matches’ ability to meet and grow their relationship, it has significantly and negatively impacted our revenue and ability to run our program. We are doing our best to find innovative ways to accommodate this situation but some setbacks cannot be avoided.

To do our part in slowing the spread of the virus, we cancelled major fundraising events and are expecting revenue losses over $30,000. Social distancing and isolation has impeded our ability to recruit and train new volunteer mentors. As we try to overcome these challenges, it means little to our waitlist of 30+ children seeking a mentor.

Our ability to support youth and mentoring relationships relies on revenue. We are bracing for a large gap between our anticipated and actual revenue. A stimulus package with meaningful assistance to nonprofits will help cushion the blow and speed our recovery.

The nonprofit sector is the 3rd largest employer in Nebraska, making up over 11% of all jobs. With significant cutbacks to government social welfare programs, we were already heavily relied upon to make up for the gap of services for our community’s most vulnerable. While the COVID-19 crisis has adversely affected all sectors of the economy, today, nonprofits have become the most vulnerable.

I urge you to include the policy solutions proposed by the nonprofit community in any COVID-19 relief and stimulus legislation.

Sincerely,
 
Brenna Poindexter
Executive Director

COVID-19 PANDEMIC  Plan

3/17/2020

 
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL NEBRASKA IS COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR BIGS, LITTLES, FAMILIES, EMPLOYEES AND SUPPORTERS HEALTHY AND SAFE.  WE ARE CURRENTLY TAKING STEPS TO PREVENT THE INTRODUCTION AND SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19).

As participants and/or supporters of our program, we want to communicate openly with you about our procedures, plans and general tips for preventing the spread of COVID-19.

IN EFFECT NOW:
  • BBBSCN Staff will work remotely effective immediately until March 31 (at minimum).
  • BBBSCN will limit business-related travel and monitor recreational travel of all BBBSCN staff.
  • We will continue thoroughly cleaning all BBBSCN facilities.
  • The Easter Egg hunt on March 28 is canceled.
  • No new match outings will be planned until further notice.
  • School Based matches will receive specific information for opportunities to stay connected while visits are not possible.
  • Effective today, Bigs and Littles will avoid in-person match outings until March 31 (at minimum) and instead focus on building a friendship through email, phone, text, FaceTime, etc. Please contact your Match Support Specialist for ideas on how to stay connected.
  • New Bigs and Littles are welcome to apply. Enrollment functions will continue with modifications.

EVENTS:
  • BBBSCN will not participate in community events through March 31 (at minimum).
  • Bowl for Kids’ Sake will be postponed. Teams are encouraged to register and begin fundraising. $1,000 Grand Prize and other prizes are still on the line. Final plans will be announced by March 26.

Thank you for your continued support of the BBBSCN mission and all you do to defend potential in our community.
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  • BFKS
  • Be a Big
    • School Based Bigs
    • VOICE
  • Get a Big
    • VOICE
  • GIVE
  • #308DEFENDERS
  • About Us
  • Contact Us