of Northeast Alabama
by Kelsey Butler
F
or 36 years, Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Northeast Alabama has
been making a difference in the
lives of children. Valerie Shannon, BBBS
NEAL CEO, has been with Big Brothers
Big Sisters for 16 years and says she
believes in the organization’s mission,
“I have seen firsthand how Big Brothers
Big Sisters changes lives”. counselor, physician, school staff member,
or others. Little Brothers and Sisters are
then paired with pre-screened Big Brothers
or Sisters.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast
Alabama serves children age six to 18
in Calhoun, Etowah, Talladega, DeKalb,
and Cherokee Counties. Children may be
referred to BBBS by a parent, guardian, Shannon says there is always a need for
volunteers, especially men. “Currently
we have 49 children on our ‘Ready to be
Matched’ (RTBM) waiting list, 27 boys and
22 girls.” So far this year, 134 children have
18
“We provide case management to ensure
safety and compliance and to help with
longevity of the match,” Shannon says. “We
measure outcomes with surveys that guide
our program success and accountability.”
August 2018
INSIGHT