By KENNEDY GRIFFIN
(Franklin County, MA) Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County announced today that they are receiving $500,000 as part of philanthropist MacKenzie Scott’s $122.6 million donation made to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
The donation was made to recognize and continue the agency’s community work and “to ensure young people have access to powerful mentoring experiences through an equitable and inclusive lens” according to the BBBS of Franklin County’s press release.
“This generosity comes at a critical time for our community,” says BBBS of Franklin County Executive Director Jennifer Webster. “Our youth need, now more than ever, to be seen, heard, and validated while facing the challenges of today’s world.” Over 75% of youth in Franklin County and the North Quabbin report feeling depressed, lonely, or anxious and waitlists for therapeutic services climb to record lengths.
The local chapter of BBBS has developed a five year plan “to double the number of empowered youth and expand programming in the most rural areas of the county, all through a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) lens.”
Last week, BBBS of America announced MacKenzie Scott was donating $122.6 million to the organization, the largest single-donor amount the organization has ever received. The donation was shared among 38 of the 232 BBBS agencies nationwide.
Big Brothers Big Sisters CEO Artis Stevens said, “And here’s what we know, in this country, that no one organization, no one person, can do it alone. We see this investment as not just an investment in our organization, it’s an invitation. It’s an invitation for more people to join causes like ours to support local communities.”
Learn more about the donation and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Franklin County at www.bbbs-fc.org