NEW
YORK, NY – May 5, 2011 —
Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City (BBBS of NYC),
the oldest and largest youth mentoring organization in the
United States, hosted its 32nd
Annual Sidewalks of New York Dinner on April 26th
at the Waldorf=Astoria Hotel in Manhattan.
This
year’s event honored four standout role models who have
overcome personal and professional obstacles to become
leaders in their respective fields:
Edward D. Breen,
chairman and CEO of Tyco International;
Julie Chen,
co-host of the CBS television show The Talk; and
Dikembe Mutombo,
chairman and president of the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation,
Inc. and eight-time NBA
All-Star.
CNN
Anchor and Special Correspondent
Soledad O’Brien
served as the Mistress of Ceremonies.
Sy Sternberg,
Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City trustee and
retired chairman
and CEO of New York Life Insurance Company, chaired
the event.
“Tonight’s honorees – Edward Breen, Julie Chen and Dikembe
Mutombo – inspire us all, not only with their professional
accomplishments, but their commitment to our mission of
improving the lives of our city’s youth,” said Sy Sternberg.
“We are proud to celebrate these role models and there is no
better occasion to do so than Sidewalks of New York.”
The dinner
raised more than $2 million, which will help
Big Brothers Big Sisters of
New York City to continue making a critical investment in
the futures of young people throughout the five boroughs.
BBBS of NYC serves more than 3,000 young people
in New York City each year. Every
$2,000 raised provides a Big/Little mentoring match with the
financial support it needs for one year.
More than 850 attendees gathered to watch three matches (a
match is a “Little” Brother or Sister and his or her “Big”
Brother or Sister) present awards to this year’s honorees.
The matches spent several weeks writing and rehearsing their
remarks for the evening, and each delivered a touching and
sometimes funny presentation that recounted their
experiences in their own words.
The Big/Little match of Omar Farooq and Jose, representing
BBBS of NYC Mentoring Children of Prisoners program,
presented the
Corporate Award
to Edward Breen. Omar and Jose were matched in 2008 and in
their three years together, have enjoyed visits to
Central Park, a Yankees
game, the Museum of Natural History, Bronx Zoo, Renaissance
Festival, and many agency events including the Race for the
Kids and Gridiron Games.
Firefighter Andrew Serra and his Little,
John, from the FDNY Partnership Program, presented Julie
Chen the Communications Award. Andrew and John have
been matched for the last seven years. John lost his father,
a firefighter, in the line of duty on September 11, 2001,
just before his eighth birthday. One of ten children, John
was extremely close with his father and struggled after his
death. Now a senior in high school looking forward to going
to college, John vows that he and Andrew will always be best
friends.
Big Sister Tiffany Herrioett and her Little, Nyiesha,
honored Dikembe Mutombo with the Public Service Award.
The pair spoke eloquently about the BBBS of NYC Workplace
Mentoring Program, which marks its 20th
anniversary in September. Nyiesha, a junior at the High
School of Graphic Communication Arts, was accepted into the
BBBS of NYC summer internship program and worked at The
Source magazine. Big sister Tiffany has played an
important part in preparing Nyiesha for the future, by
helping her focus on her communication style and assisting
in her college search.
“Tonight’s honorees, like Big Brothers Big Sisters of New
York City, have served as a positive, force in communities
throughout our city,” said Hector Batista, executive
director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC. “We are proud
to say that 70 percent of young people in our programs
improve their school attendance and grades, and more than 90
percent show increased self- esteem. Tonight we extend a big
“thank you” to New York City, because without your support,
these incredible accomplishments would not be possible.”
“For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New
York City has worked to improve the lives of our city’s
youth through one-to-one mentoring programs,” said Jon May,
president of the board of directors of Big Brothers Big
Sisters of NYC. “It is thanks to the generosity of our
supporters that we are able to succeed in this endeavor and
Sidewalks of New York is a testament to that support.”
For more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC,
or becoming a volunteer mentor, go to
www.bigsnyc.org.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City
Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC (BBBS of NYC), the
nation’s first mentoring organization, has served the
changing needs of New York City’s most at-risk youth since
1904.
BBBS of NYC has also developed specialized mentoring
programs to help children facing more complex challenges,
including immigrant youth, teen mothers and children of
incarcerated parents. Through the support of individuals,
foundations and corporations, this not-for-profit agency has
been able to reach out to change the lives of the city’s
most disadvantaged children, matching them with caring adult
role models – special friends who can help to expand their
horizons, realize their potential and enrich their futures.
To learn more, become a mentor and/or offer support, please
visit
www.bigsnyc.org.