SPOTLIGHT

The T. Boone Pickens Foundation focuses grants to organizations that operate in its core giving categories (see “About TBPF”). The current partner spotlight is Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas (BBBSNT), a volunteer organization that provides children support, guidance, friendship and fun by matching them to adult role models.

The agency’s mission is to enrich, encourage, and empower children to reach their highest potential through safe, positive mentoring relationships. As the oldest, largest, and most effective youth mentoring organization in the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters has proven successful with direct, measurable, and lasting impact on the children it serves.

In March, Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas dedicated the T. Boone Pickens Mentoring Hall of Fame at its Irving headquarters, made possible by a $1.275 million Pickens Foundation donation. Besides being a valuable resource, the museum and resource center highlights how mentoring has helped change people's lives.

"We want to bring the spotlight on the power of a mentoring relationship," says Mark Melson, the agency's chief development officer. “Even the most successful, even the most powerful and largest political and religious figures had someone they turned to and who guided them."

The Pickens Foundation also has awarded BBBS of America a five-year $3 million grant that will provide professionally supported mentoring services to many more children of deployed military. With more than 700,000 American children having at least one parent deployed with the U.S. Military, the grant could not be more timely and necessary.

“Helping at-risk youth is an important part of the Foundation’s mission,” Mr. Pickens says. “Big Brother Big Sisters perform an integral role in matching these youth with role models that can help them envision and build a future.”

"This generous gift will profoundly improve the lives of extremely vulnerable children," said Judy Vredenburgh, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. "The T. Boone Pickens Foundation grant supports the 25 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies that have been serving children of deployed military as a spontaneous response to the urgent need."

The North Texas chapter was recognized as the organization’s “2007 Agency of the Year” from among the more than 450 Big Brother Big Sister agencies throughout the nation. BBBSNT, founded in 1927, has mentored more than 100,000 children throughout North Texas. In 2006, the agency set a national Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) record by providing mentors to more than 6,000 children in a single year to become the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters agency in the nation.

“We are honored that Mr. Pickens has chosen to invest in our organization so generously,” says BBBSNT chief executive officer Charles Pierson. “His generous donations reflect his dedication to youth and the educational development of children, as well as the significant and positive impact our organization makes in the lives of at-risk children through mentoring.”

Providing mentors to more children was the primary goal when independent BBBS agencies with offices in Dallas County, Tarrant County, Denton County and Grayson County merged to form a 17-county service area in 2003. At the close of 2006, the agency provided mentors to 6,054 kids in 25 counties.

For more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas, call 214-887-BIGS or visit www.bbbsnt.org.