It's Time For You To Soar!

We would like to congratulate the following Little Brothers and Little Sisters who graduated high school this year!  We are so proud of all of you and wish you the best of luck in your future ahead!

We would also like to take special time out to thank the Big Brothers and Big Sisters who stood by their Littles along the way.  You have all been a great inspiration to your Littles and we have enjoyed being a part of your journey.

Little Sister:    Adrianna
Big Sister:      Maggie Burger
Match Date:    March 2006
Adrianna plans to attend the University of Northern Iowa in the fall to pursue a degree in Interior Design.

Little Brother:  DeAngelo
Big Brother:    Jim Brown
Match Date:    July 2009
DeAngelo plans to pursue his career options in the Cedar Valley.

Little Sister:  Nashalet
Big Sister:    Ellen Vanderloo
Match Date:  November 2007
Nashalet plans to pursue a degree in Culinary Arts.

Little Brother:  Craig
Big Sister:       Amy Hunzelman
Match Date:     September 2005
Craig plans to pursue a degree in Recording Engineering to further his music career.

Little Brother:  Malik
Big Brother:    Dave Buck
Match Date:    December 2006
Malik is interested in studying law and continuing his passion for boxing.

Little Sister:   Tru
Big Sister:   Sherry Etringer
Match Date:   December 2005
Tru plans to attend the University of Northern Iowa in the fall to pursue a degree in education.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Announces New Executive Director

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa has recently announced the hiring of Katie Orlando to serve as Executive Director of the nonprofit agency. Katie will oversee day-to-day operations of the organization with a focus on fund development and donor stewardship. She will also work toward carrying out the mission and Strategic Plan of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa.

Katie comes to Iowa with over 4 years of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) experience and 15 years of nonprofit and higher education experience in the Northeast, recently serving as the Executive Director of BBBS of Greater Manchester (NH) and Vice President of Development of BBBS New Hampshire following a statewide BBBS agency merger.

Katie is looking forward to getting back to leading a local Big Brothers Big Sisters agency and making a difference in the lives of many youth. “I am honored to be selected to lead such a strong agency in a community that cares so much about its youth and their future.  I am excited to meet agency supporters and program participants so we can work together to make an even bigger impact in our community.”

This week Katie will be traveling to Philadelphia to attend the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America National Conference to accept a prestigious Quality Award.  This award is only given to select agencies nationwide who excel in the service they provide to their community as evidenced by the impact achieved in the youth they serve.  This will be Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa’s second consecutive year receiving this award, an extremely rare feat only achieved by a handful of other agencies nationwide.   In 2014, the average length of each Big/Little match relationship in Northeast Iowa was over 3 years and the quality of support professional BBBS staff gave to program participants was among the top in the country out of all other BBBS agencies.

Katie is a graduate of Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, PA with a degree in History, Political Science and Latin American Studies. Five generations ago her family originated from Iowa and Katie now resides in Waterloo.  Katie has also served as a Kiwanian for 12 years and recently joined the Kiwanis Club of Waterloo to carry on this tradition of giving back to her local community.

For more information or to get involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa, call 319-235-9397 or visit www.iowabigs.org.

March & April Matches and May Anniversaries

Big Brothers Big Sisters would like to WELCOME the following new matches made in March & April:

Amy Backer and Arianna
Kyleigh Corcoran and Jovanti
Kendra Crawford and FaLeShia
Clayton Grandquist and Devan
Amy Hegstrom and Gabrielle
Jessica Hoag and Tyteria
Dixie & Dennis Kehoe and Devan
Elizabeth Martin and Adriana
Mark McColm and Joey
Aaron Schmadeke and Aiden
Kelly Steimel and Aurora
Sajra Vunic and Maleah
Amber Wood and Annie


CONGRATS to the following matches reaching their anniversary during the month of May:

One Year:
Colby Burt and Keenan
Kailey Kaestner and Hailey
Angela Orr and Stephanie

April Match Spotlight: Quinton and Erin

Erin Bird and Quinton began their journey together in January of 2014.  Erin, a Pastor in the community, wanted to get involved in something that would allow him to give back.  With children of his own, he knew that a large impact can be made working with youth.  Once he found out that there was a need for male mentors in the community, he knew that was what he wanted to do.

Quinton was enrolled in the program due to the lack of positive male role models in his life and the need for a little extra help with his school work.  He lacked in self-confidence and was struggling with being independent and making his own decisions.

The two hit it off immediately, finding similarities that they had and playing games that they both enjoyed.  Most of their time was spent initially playing Mancala, Chutes and Ladders or Four in a Row.  As they played these games, they got to know each other better and laughter started to fill their time.

At the start of the next school year, Quinton’s teacher asked if Erin would help with his journaling assignments each week.  Erin feels that this task has opened Quinton up in so many areas and has really helped further their relationship.

“Without prompting, he’s shared about struggles, questions, hurts, and more. I’ve been able to be a listening ear, a consistent friend, and a mentor to guide him and encourage him through the good moments and heart-breaking moments. I can tell it means a lot to him that an adult thinks he’s cool, wants to spend time with him, and will enter his world for 30 minutes each week,” stated Erin.

If you ask Quinton what his thoughts are on having Erin as a Big Brother, it’s pretty simple.  His response, “Erin is PERFECT!”  Quinton thoroughly enjoys every moment that he is with his Big and looks forward to it every week.

Erin compares his time with Quinton to a bank account.  Investing 30 minutes each week isn’t a lot at one time but can make a huge difference as it adds up.  Erin encourages others to get involved in the program and make these small investments in the youth of our community.  “If a simple, average guy like me can do this, anyone with a positive attitude and a desire to help others can do this. It’s well worth the 30-minutes a week it costs me.  It is amazing what a smile, a game, and a half-hour can do in the life of a kid”.

Tips for Tuesday: Adverse Childhood Experiences

Did you know that significant adversity in a child's life can lead to lifelong problems?  The Adverse Childhood Experience Study conducted by CDC, Emory and Kaiser Permanente illustrate the impact childhood adversity can have on adult well being.  In this study, it was discovered that any negative experiences such as abuse, neglect or exposure to other traumatic stressors can lead to higher risks of adult health problems, poor quality of life and early death.

For example, research shows that the risk factors increase with the number of adverse experiences during childhood.  The chart below depicts the percentage increase for an adult who experienced four or more adverse childhood experiences compared to those with zero negative experiences:

                                                                                      *Iowa Aces 360


So how does mentoring play a part in reducing the risk and creating protective factors for children?
Mentoring helps in a number of ways and can be vital in helping a child break the negative cycles and live a healthy and productive adult life.  Mentors provide social connections outside of the home and school and connect the child with the community around them. Mentors serve as a support system for children who may need extra guidance and encouragement navigating through young adulthood. Finally, mentors create a nurturing environment for the child to express himself freely, gain self-confidence and obtain the skills necessary to become successful adults.

To learn more about Adverse Childhood Experiences visit http://www.iowaaces360.org/.

To learn more about mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa visit www.iowabigs.org or call 319-235-9397.

March Matches and April Anniversaries

Big Brothers Big Sisters would like to WELCOME the following new matches made in March:

April Hegstrom and Gabrielle


CONGRATS to the following matches reaching their anniversary during the month of April:

Two Years:
Amanda Stark and David
Cassie Upshaw and Maria

Four Years:
Katie Klein and BreAnna

Five Years:
Bob Hoffman and McKenna

Seven Years:
Howard Craven and Marquese

Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month.  Here are a few tips on how to respond if your Little or any child reports any abuse or harm they may be subject to:

• First, believe the child and make sure the child knows it.

• Thank the child for telling you and praise the child's courage.  Tell the child how brave he or she is for telling you.

• Tell the child that he or she is not at fault for what happened or may be happening.

• Encourage the child to talk but don't ask leading questions about the details as this may contaminate the child's memory of events.  Remember, who-what-where.

• Assure the child that it's your job to be sure he or she is kept safe and you'll do everything you can to make sure that happens.

• Seek out help from a professional, contact your Match Coordinator if this regards your Little or contact the authorities.