Agency Update – May 1, 2020

At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas, the health and safety of our agency (staff, clients, volunteers and supporters) continues to inform every decision we make. Our goal is to serve as many youth as possible, as well as possible, and in a manner that is as safe as possible for all involved. For this reason, we have decided to extend our plans to keep our physical office closed with staff working remotely through June 5.

These unusual times call on everyone to think beyond our own personal needs, beliefs or preferences and behave in a manner that respects the greater good of our community and considers any action that could create risk for someone else. And, while the report released by the Texas Governor allows for (grants permission to) certain businesses to reopen according to certain guidelines, it is not a requirement for those businesses to reopen. We are a private agency and have the privilege of exercising even more caution than what is suggested and it will be critical to take the time we need to achieve that level of safe functioning that protects all those we support in the coming weeks. We may not be able to control many things related to the impact of this health crisis but we can control our actions, the way we treat each other, and a willingness to respect the needs of others.

For these reasons, we ask that matches continue to NOT meet in-person, but encourage continued engagement and communication via electronic means until further notice.

During this time, we’re proud of our ability to continue offering our services (enrolling new participants, starting new matches, supporting our families/matches, etc.) while working remotely. We will continue to monitor changes and recommendations of local, state and federal authorities and will provide regular updates to our matches. We are also working on our plans to return to normal functioning and hope/plan to do so in a way that minimizes disruptions, limits risks, and ensures the safest possible environment for everyone.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your Match Support Specialist or Vice President of Programs, Joe Strychalski at jstrychalski@bigmentoring.org or 937-305-1291.

Thank you and we truly appreciate all that you do to support your match and Big Brothers Big Sisters!

Brent Fields

CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas