MONROE - Requirement changes at the national level have placed recent stress on area nonprofit programs oriented toward youth mentorship, and even prompted official disaffiliation by the Freeport-based group Sunday.
Shannon Kaszuba, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Green County, said the changes have not impacted the local group enough to prompt any sort of disbanding. Rather, she is confident donors to the program will help ensure its continuation.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America announced in the final months of 2017 that after research-based recommendations, new criteria needed to be implemented across the country's affiliate programs. The new requirements, which will be implemented January 2019, include two full-time staff members, annual revenue of at least $200,000 and a minimum of 100 maintained matches. A requirement for a full-time program director is currently in place.
For Green County, funding is the only current sticking point. But they're one of roughly 40 agencies which have fulfilled two of the three requirements, looking to meet the final as soon as possible.
"We're all subject to the same requirements," Kaszuba said, noting the organization is "close" to reaching $200,000 and was assured by national representatives the program will continue as long as it meets the specified amount around the time the standard is required.
"If you're close to that threshold ... they're not going to just say, 'no, you're done,'" Kaszuba said. "If the United Way program went away, it'd be a huge impact."
Much of the program's funding comes from United Way, she noted. The setup differs from Freeport-based Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Illinois, which includes Stephenson and Jo Daviess counties. The Illinois group was sponsored by regional health care system FHN and its family counseling center.
Beth Johnson, FHN Family Counseling Center prevention and education supervisor, said a driving force behind breaking away from under the umbrella of the national BBBS program was a change in funding. A $140,000 substance abuse prevention grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services was altered to require funding be used for youth substance abuse prevention rather than allowing roughly 200 recipients to choose how to allocate the funds, Johnson said. Previously, money had been utilized for mentorship services like training.
The loss of monetary support meant staff was reduced to one part-time worker.
"Obviously with our budget loss ... we are not able to have a full-time director," Johnson said.
In Green County, an executive team of three run the program. Kirsten Boll, enrollment and case manager, and Traci Newman, School Friends Program director and match support specialist, join Kaszuba in its operation. The group matched 256 Big volunteers and Little mentees last year.
"That's not a worry of ours," Kaszuba said of meeting the match requirement of 100 or more.
Johnson said the northwest Illinois program had roughly 75 match cases at any given time. Both Kaszuba and Johnson noted the changes in national requirements were thought-out and based in discussions with affiliates across the country.
"Most of the larger groups won't be affected by this at all," Johnson said. "The most affected will be the smaller, more rural programs."
Operating for over three decades, Johnson said the program may be reconstituted to continue mentoring services to young people but will no longer bear the same name.
"We definitely felt the loss in our community," she said. "But unless we get $200,000 somehow, we're not going to be able to return under the umbrella of Big Brothers Big Sisters."
Green County has boosted awareness through marketing materials updated just before new standards were put in place by the national board, looking to officially hit the $200,000 mark. The group held a 10th annual wine event Saturday, where Kaszuba said the group announced another fundraiser likely to attract sports fans.
Registration for Lunch with the Green Bay Packers for Kids' Sake should begin soon. The event set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 12 at Turner Hall in Monroe will host three Packers alumni and three current players for just under two hours. It will likely include a question and answer period and may even allow for sponsorship tables, Kaszuba said.
Shannon Kaszuba, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Green County, said the changes have not impacted the local group enough to prompt any sort of disbanding. Rather, she is confident donors to the program will help ensure its continuation.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America announced in the final months of 2017 that after research-based recommendations, new criteria needed to be implemented across the country's affiliate programs. The new requirements, which will be implemented January 2019, include two full-time staff members, annual revenue of at least $200,000 and a minimum of 100 maintained matches. A requirement for a full-time program director is currently in place.
For Green County, funding is the only current sticking point. But they're one of roughly 40 agencies which have fulfilled two of the three requirements, looking to meet the final as soon as possible.
"We're all subject to the same requirements," Kaszuba said, noting the organization is "close" to reaching $200,000 and was assured by national representatives the program will continue as long as it meets the specified amount around the time the standard is required.
"If you're close to that threshold ... they're not going to just say, 'no, you're done,'" Kaszuba said. "If the United Way program went away, it'd be a huge impact."
Much of the program's funding comes from United Way, she noted. The setup differs from Freeport-based Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Illinois, which includes Stephenson and Jo Daviess counties. The Illinois group was sponsored by regional health care system FHN and its family counseling center.
Beth Johnson, FHN Family Counseling Center prevention and education supervisor, said a driving force behind breaking away from under the umbrella of the national BBBS program was a change in funding. A $140,000 substance abuse prevention grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services was altered to require funding be used for youth substance abuse prevention rather than allowing roughly 200 recipients to choose how to allocate the funds, Johnson said. Previously, money had been utilized for mentorship services like training.
The loss of monetary support meant staff was reduced to one part-time worker.
"Obviously with our budget loss ... we are not able to have a full-time director," Johnson said.
In Green County, an executive team of three run the program. Kirsten Boll, enrollment and case manager, and Traci Newman, School Friends Program director and match support specialist, join Kaszuba in its operation. The group matched 256 Big volunteers and Little mentees last year.
"That's not a worry of ours," Kaszuba said of meeting the match requirement of 100 or more.
Johnson said the northwest Illinois program had roughly 75 match cases at any given time. Both Kaszuba and Johnson noted the changes in national requirements were thought-out and based in discussions with affiliates across the country.
"Most of the larger groups won't be affected by this at all," Johnson said. "The most affected will be the smaller, more rural programs."
Operating for over three decades, Johnson said the program may be reconstituted to continue mentoring services to young people but will no longer bear the same name.
"We definitely felt the loss in our community," she said. "But unless we get $200,000 somehow, we're not going to be able to return under the umbrella of Big Brothers Big Sisters."
Green County has boosted awareness through marketing materials updated just before new standards were put in place by the national board, looking to officially hit the $200,000 mark. The group held a 10th annual wine event Saturday, where Kaszuba said the group announced another fundraiser likely to attract sports fans.
Registration for Lunch with the Green Bay Packers for Kids' Sake should begin soon. The event set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 12 at Turner Hall in Monroe will host three Packers alumni and three current players for just under two hours. It will likely include a question and answer period and may even allow for sponsorship tables, Kaszuba said.