#99 Big Brothers and Sister of Pittsburgh Holiday Special
Don’t you wish when you were in high school, or grade school you could talk to someone older who wasn’t your parents, or your teachers. Someone who was just there to give advice, without judgement. Maybe an outside perspective into a career path you were dreaming about, but weren’t sure was the right fit for you.
That is only a small part of what Big Brothers Big Sisters of America does for kids. My best friend Jhon Yonan has been telling me about his little for over 7 years. I have seen them grow together, and witnessed changes for the better in himself along side his little through the years. It was something I have wanted to do for quite some time.
My husband and I are FINALLY in the process of becoming “Bigs”, and we cannot wait. I think it is so important, not just to the kids to have someone who helps them as the grow up, but for the “Bigs” to gain a different perspective.
As with most things, I didn’t know the in’s and out’s of becoming a “Big”. So for this holiday season, I thought, what better way to close out 2017, than to have a representative of BBBS on the show.
I invited Counsilman Tom Baker who is the Chief Community Officer of BBBS to come on and talk about it’s history as one of the oldest non profits around. BBBS started in New York City back in 1904, and has quite an interesting history that we get into, but my interest also extends to experience.
I wanted to know what the entire process is for becoming a “Big”, what you can expect, ideas of where to take your little, and so on. Tom answers all of your questions if you are thinking about joining one of their three ways to become involved.
It didn’t stop there for me though, for the second half of the podcast I bring in Jhon Yonan, and his little Marvin Jamar Lee Gurley- Boyd to talk about their relationship with one another. It is super endearing to hear the two of them reminisce about when they met, the things they have done, and what they have learning from each another through the years.
Tune in and happy holidays everyone! Don’t forget to grab tickets to Marta Match on Jan 5th benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters!
