Big Brothers Big Sisters introduces America’s Big Citizen of the Year Award: BigBrothersBigSisters.org is Accepting Nominations During National Mentoring Month!

In January 2009, we will observe National Mentoring Month in a manner that makes our movement relevant to all Americans. Big Brothers Big Sisters is a lead partner in National Mentoring Month, which is spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project of the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. The theme for 2009 is “Expand Your Universe: Mentor a Child.” As part of the activities, Mentoring Month includes Thank Your Mentor Day, which in 2009 is January 22.

In honor of National Mentoring Month 2009, Big Brothers Big Sisters will expand its universe by launching a national search for America’s Big Citizen of the Year. The Big Citizen of the Year Award will go to an individual nominated via a mini-essay sent to and posted on BigBrothersBigSisters.org. Nominees do not have to be affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters. They will include neighbors, teachers, police officers, church leaders, coaches, and philanthropists; a range of “Big-hearted” individuals who are making a significant difference in the lives of children, changing how they grow up in America. The web page and supporting marketing materials, which will all have local agency components and templates, will encourage those who submit nominations to email the link to their friends, families, co-workers, and others, in order to encourage them to vote for their favorite nominee.

The winner will be the individual who receives the most votes and best meets Big Brothers Big Sisters criteria for Big Citizen of the Year (someone who is making a positive impact on the lives of children in his/or her community; a disclaimer will be posted stating that Big Brothers Big Sisters reserves the right to publish only submissions that are in good taste, and reflect the values and child protection policies of Big Brothers Big Sisters.)

For Thank Your Mentor Day, Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies will continue the Big Citizen theme, by asking Americans to take an opportunity on the 22nd to “Thank a Big Citizen” – to show gratitude to a member of the community whose generosity and kindness is changing how our children grow up in America.

By introducing America’s Big Citizen of the Year Award, we are accomplishing several marketing objectives:

1. Begin to reposition Big Brothers Big Sisters as more than the oldest, largest, one-to-one mentoring organization in the nation. We are illustrating that Big Brothers Big Sisters is a movement of citizens.
2. Begin to differentiate Big Brothers Big Sisters from other mentoring and child service organizations, such as Boys & Girls Club, by raising awareness about Big Brothers Big Sisters among citizens through traditional and non-traditional media, and getting them to become advocates for what we achieve.
3. Send people to BigBrothersBigSisters.org where we will begin to test the waters of viral communications, blogging, and social networking. Citizens will submit nominations. The public will submit comments and vote for the citizen they see as most worthy of America’s Big Citizen of the Year Award (Note: There will be a filtering delay on the blogging comments/messages). We will also offer choices for citizen involvement in our movement, and link people who want to join the movement directly to the Big Brothers Big Sisters website closest to where they live in order to take the next step:

• Help out with special events, fund raisers or recruitment fairs.
• Encourage your place of business to support us.
• Host a fundraiser.
• Encourage your employer to partner with a Big Brothers Big Sisters agency for a school-based partnership.
• Encourage your church to partner with us for a site-based partnership.
• Encourage your employer to sponsor a special event or donate tickets for a special event.
• Make a donation.
• Become a Big Brother or Big Sister.
• Recommend someone you think would make a great Big Brother or Big Sister.
• Send this email to someone you believe would like to do something to help our children grow up in America!

4. Begin to build the movement through viral Internet communications.

PR Resources

We have prepared National Mentoring Month marketing and public relations resources to assist you with publicizing the observance. Sample communications should be adapted to your own agency’s circumstances.

FAQs – tips for using the resources:

• Op-Ed piece - “No Time to Mentor? There are Many Ways to be a Part of the Movement to Help Our Children Grow Up in America” op-ed article for your agency CEO’s byline
• News Release (local) - Big Brothers Big Sisters Introduces America’s Big Citizen of the Year Award: BigBrothersBigSisters.org is Accepting Nominations During National Mentoring Month
• News Release (national) - Big Brothers Big Sisters Introduces America’s Big Citizen of the Year Award: BigBrothersBigSisters.org is Accepting Nominations During National Mentoring Month
• Media Advisory - “Thank a Big Citizen” for January 22, Thank Your Mentor Day
• News Release - “Thank a Big Citizen” for January 22, Thank Your Mentor Day
• Media Event Activities
• *For Informational Purposes National Website Text – We will be accepting nominations for the Big Citizen of the Year Award on the national website. Here’s the text we will be using.
• Proclamation
• Photo Release Form