A Message of Thanksgiving

“Change is neither good nor bad, it just is.” – Don Draper, from the TV show Mad Men.

I love this season… of Thanksgiving, fall colors, cooler weather, time to reflect on the past year, and to take a pause during these hectic days to express gratitude. For though we’ve all been through a lot of change this past year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas has continued to do what it’s done for 50 years – meet the needs of children and families in our community in the ways that are best for them. While the needs of the moment may change, our mission is ongoing. We are grateful for all that we have been able to accomplish, with your help and support.

Regardless of what Don Draper says, it is easier to talk about change than to deal with it. With creativity and understanding, however, BBBS has dealt with it.  Whether adapting our ways of making matches due to the pandemic, adjusting our processes for volunteer recruitment and training, or changing the delivery of our events to meet people both in person and online, we have pioneered new ways of connecting with our ever-changing community.

We’ve dealt with a half-century of change. Early on we changed office locations and installed a full-time Executive Director to lead the program. A few years later we adapted to serve both boys and girls. After that, change included expanding our service area and becoming BBBS of Central Texas while increasing the number of kids matched with a mentor. In 2016 the agency changed its home base with the opening of the new Bennett-Rathgeber Mentoring Center. And this past year, we’ve worked to help our kids and families deal with both a winter storm and the continuing impacts of COVID.

50 years is a long time, yet here we are. We have much to be proud of, and much to celebrate. Through all of the challenges and changes in our community, BBBS has remained a constant, and you have stood beside us offering your support. Thank you. We couldn’t have accomplished so much without you.

In this anniversary year, it’s fitting we celebrate where we’ve been. As the new CEO of BBBS, I’m also excited about the next chapter in the agency’s story. I’m excited about beginning to return to meeting in person, making matches face-to-face, bringing people together for our events, having our staff back in our building, and gathering again with our volunteers, donors, partners, families, and friends.

You are such an important part of our success…. past, present, and future.

As we celebrate this Thanksgiving season, I am so thankful to be a part of this amazing organization called Big Brothers Big Sisters and I am committed to our mission of helping at-risk children achieve their greatest potential.

I look forward to getting to know you and partnering with you to make an even greater impact for children and families in our community. The future is bright, there is much work to do, and the possibilities are endless. I am thankful for the opportunity to work alongside you as we take BBBS and its mission to the next level.

I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons!

With gratitude,

Leah Meunier Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer