Big Brothers Big Sisters of FSW Partners with Salvation Army

Port Chester, NY – With the collaboration of Port Chester Cares, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Family Services of Westchester is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Salvation Army with the expansion of the “I Believe, I Achieve” program in Port Chester, set to begin October 7, 2015.

IBIA is an enhanced site-based mentoring program that offers one-to-one mentoring with college students, educational enrichment, field trips and college campus exposure, while providing school and community support to the family as a whole. With the generous support of the Vera and Walter Scherr Foundation, this model has proven highly effective in Yonkers and has the ability to make a difference in any school district.

“I am very excited about the IBIA and Salvation Army partnership,” said Laura Saggese, whose family foundation, the Vera and Walter Scherr Foundation, was instrumental in designing, implementing and supporting IBIA alongside FSW. “It has been a long term goal of our program to not only bring together community resources to educate and support our children, but also to look at other like-minded not-for-profit organizations and pool our strengths and resources. It is so exciting to see this program grow in Yonkers as well as with modified programs throughout New York and now in Port Chester.”

“The Salvation Army Corps in Port Chester is elated to have been offered the auspicious opportunity of partnering with BBBS of FSW and the mentors of Manhattanville College to host the “I Believe, I Achieve” program in our church on 36 Bush Avenue,” said Kyle Higgins, Youth Programming Director. “I believe there is no better way to affect beneficial change in a child’s academic, physical and spiritual life than through one-on-one mentoring with a positive role model. This program aims to fulfill that need.”

BBBS of FSW is the Westchester affiliate of the national Big Brothers Big Sisters organization, which is the oldest and largest youth mentoring program in the United States. “For over 50 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of FSW has helped children realize their potential through one-to-one supported mentoring relationships,” added Valerie Brown, Executive Director of BBBS of FSW. “It is such an honor to be able to join the Salvation Army and mentors from Manhattanville College, to help children realize and reach their potential through the I Believe I Achieve program. We are so grateful to Port Chester Cares for their help in forging this relationship with the Salvation Army.”

To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters, visit www.fsw.org/our-programs/big-brothers-big-sisters or www.bbbs.org or contact Valerie Brown (914) 305-6874 or vbrown@fsw.org.

FSW runs more than 50 mental health and social service programs that reach 30,000 children, teens, adults and families a year. FSW’s programs run the gamut from adoption services to elder care, from home health care to youth residences and include chapters of such national programs as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Head Start and AmeriCorps. The agency’s 450 employees and 350 volunteers operate out of seven offices throughout the county. To learn more about FSW, check out the agency’s website at www.fsw.org or contact Caitlin Halle (914) 305-6876 or challe@fsw.org.