Special to the Sun
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM), New England’s largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate, is pleased to welcome Andrew Graff, of Boston, to its Board of Directors. This addition follows the recent merger of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts and Big Sister Association of Greater Boston (BSAGB), forming a unified effort to expand access to one-to-one youth mentoring programs across the region.
As part of the merger, BBBSEM will be integrating programs and staff from BSAGB. This includes welcoming new board members who bring extensive experience and dedication to gender-intentional mentoring and community-building for young girls, women, and gender-fluid youth. The combined efforts of these experienced leaders will significantly contribute to BBBSEM’s mission of empowering youth to reach their full potential through mentorship.
“Our innovative approach to youth mentoring and ability to scale across 150 communities in Eastern Massachusetts enables us to have a profound impact on the lives of young people,” says Mark O’Donnell, BBBSEM President & CEO. “We are thrilled to welcome Graff and other esteemed members from Big Sister Association of Greater Boston to the board. Their unique expertise will help ensure we continue to expand our programs and reach more youth in the region, while preserving the best practices for gender-specific mentoring.”
Graff brings decades of advertising and marketing experience, mentorship, and leadership to the Board of Directors at BBBSEM. For 9 years he served on the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston’s Board, and nearly 2 years as Board Chair. Currently, Graff is the CEO of Allen & Gerritsen, a fully integrated marketing agency based in Boston.
“Mentorship means showing up – to listen, to challenge, and to stand beside someone as they grow. It’s one of the most meaningful ways we can create lasting change,” says Graff.
BBBSEM Board of Directors commit to serving the organization over the course of two years. As a member, Graff will help to advance the agency’s mission, service to children, and impact. As a group, the Board establishes agency policy and sets strategic goals, as well as provides leadership and counsel to staff for strategic initiatives. Board members serve as enthusiastic goodwill ambassadors and actively advocate on behalf of the nonprofit and BBBSEM community.
In its 76th year of service, BBBSEM stands at its highest point as the second largest Big Brother Big Sister affiliate in the country, behind only the nonprofit covering the entire state of Texas. This year, the organization is supporting nearly 4,000 youth, over 50 percent of whom identify as female. In the past seven decades, BBBSEM has created and served more than 25,000 matches.
BBBSEM is now enrolling and matching Littles and Bigs. The organization welcomes Bigs and Littles of all races, ethnicities, cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, and physical abilities. For more information, to donate, or to become a volunteer or register your child, visit: www.emassbigs.org.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is an innovative, energetic organization that is making a real difference in the lives of nearly 4,000 youth annually by providing them with an invested, caring adult mentor in long-term, professionally supported relationships. With research and proven outcomes at its core, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is working to defend the potential of children facing adversity and ensure every child has the support from caring adults that they need for healthy development and success in life. The organization’s vision is to inspire, engage and transform communities in Eastern Massachusetts by helping youth achieve their full potential, contributing to healthier families, better schools, more confident futures and stronger communities. Throughout its 75 years, the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate in New England has created and served more than 25,000 youth. For more information about the agency and its mission, visit www.emassbigs.org.