The BIG U pdate September 2012 A message from the CEO It has been terrific to meet those of you currently supporting our organization and those of you who have expressed an interest in doing so. The question I am com- monly asked is, “How can I help?” or “How else can I help?” And it is a question I love to answer. Most immediately, we are proud to move into our fourth fun year of partnership with KPHO CBS 5 for Paul’s Car Wash. Please consider the week of October 22-26 a great time to get your car washed or to volunteer to with your friends or co-workers, all in an effort to raise funds in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona. If you can’t be there or your car is already clean, you can still support Paul’s Car Wash by sending a donation to help us achieve our goal of $50,000 – a goal Wells Fargo has once again generously of- fered to match! Right now there are more than 300 Littles are on our wait- ing list for mentors. Please let us know if you are interested in becoming a Big Sister or a Big Brother in order to help these young people on their path to success in these tough economic times, when the need for positive role models is greater than ever. One great way to help support BBBSAZ is to make a dona- tion to support our Matches. The cost of providing support for one Match, a Big and a Little, is about $1,200 a year. You can visit our website at www.bbbsaz.org to make a donation or send us a check. Every dollar makes a Big Difference. And last but not least, please mark your calendars for the Big Breakfast on April 18, 2013. Look for more information about the event in future newsletters. Thanks for all of your support – both past and future! Interim President & CEO Robin Hanna Donate today! By donating to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona you’re eligible for the Arizona Working Poor Tax Credit? The State of Arizona offers a tax credit to organizations providing assistance to the working poor. This provision allows individuals to take a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for a donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona. This is in addition to the public school tax credit and the private school tax credit. Taxpayers filing as “single” and “head of household” status may claim a maximum credit of $200. Taxpayers who file as “married filing joint” may claim a maximum credit of $400. In order to claim your tax credit you must item- ize your deductions and complete Arizona tax form 321. For more information about the tax credit and filing instructions, please visit the Arizona Depart- ment of Revenue. For answers to Frequently Asked Questions for Taxpayers about the tax credit, click here. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cen- tral Arizona does not offer legal or tax advice. Always consult with a qualified, licensed professional regarding all legal or tax-related issues. Arizona Working Poor Tax Credit
Transcript
The BIGUpdate
September 2012
A message from the CEO
It has been terrific to meet those of you currently supporting our organization and those of you who have expressed an interest in doing so. The question I am com-monly asked is, “How can I help?” or “How else can I help?” And it is a question I love to answer.
Most immediately, we are proud to move into our fourth fun year of partnership with KPHO CBS 5 for Paul’s Car Wash. Please consider the week of October 22-26 a great time to get your car washed or to volunteer to with your friends or co-workers, all in an effort to raise funds in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona. If you can’t be there or your car is already clean, you can still support Paul’s Car Wash by sending a donation to help us achieve our goal of $50,000 – a goal Wells Fargo has once again generously of-fered to match!
Right now there are more than 300 Littles are on our wait-ing list for mentors. Please let us know if you are interested in becoming a Big Sister or a Big Brother in order to help these young people on their path to success in these tough economic times, when the need for positive role models is greater than ever.
One great way to help support BBBSAZ is to make a dona-tion to support our Matches. The cost of providing support for one Match, a Big and a Little, is about $1,200 a year. You can visit our website at www.bbbsaz.org to make a donation or send us a check. Every dollar makes a Big Difference.
And last but not least, please mark your calendars for the Big Breakfast on April 18, 2013. Look for more information about the event in future newsletters.
Thanks for all of your support – both past and future!
Interim President & CEORobin Hanna
Donate today!
By donating to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona you’re eligible for the Arizona Working Poor Tax Credit?
The State of Arizona offers a tax credit to organizations providing assistance to the working poor. This provision allows individuals to take a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for a donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona. This is in addition to the public school tax credit and the private school tax credit.
Taxpayers filing as “single” and “head of household” status may claim a maximum credit of $200. Taxpayers who file as “married filing joint” may claim a maximum credit of $400. In order to claim your tax credit you must item-ize your deductions and complete Arizona tax form 321.
For more information about the tax credit and filing instructions, please visit the Arizona Depart-ment of Revenue.
For answers to Frequently Asked Questions for Taxpayers about the tax credit, click here.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cen-tral Arizona does not offer legal or tax advice. Always consult with a qualified, licensed professional regarding all legal or tax-related issues.
BBBSAZ tips its hat to Rita’s Italian Ice on Mill Avenue for their generous $500 dollar donation to the agency and for collecting school supplies
on our behalf. BBBSAZ would like to thank
Dru and Jeff Meskan of Rita’s for choosing to sponsor BBBSAZ and bring awareness
to the importance of mentoring. Great job!
Way to go, Rita’s!
Littles get Mesa Fire Dept. tour thanks to TillerChris Tiller of the Mesa Fire Department
graciously hosted a fire station tour and lunch as part of the Think Big program on August 25.
Matches were able to learn about fire science and the day-to-day duties of a local firefighter, which
falls in line with one of the five pillars of the Think Big program: Career Development. Because of
learning experiences like this one, our Littles are able to experience and learn about different
careers, which can encourage goal setting and future education planning. Thank you for making
time to talk to our Littles, Chris!
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Hey Bigs,Keep Up The Great Work!
Every two months, BBBSAZ takes time to recognize match anniversaries. What are those you ask? Match anniversaries recognize another year of commitment and dedication to a healthy and happy mentor relationship. Our Bigs and Littles are committed to each other through the fun times and the sometimes difficult times, but that’s what makes the Big Brothers Big Sisters program so great … and who doesn’t love having a true friend?! We were happy to celebrate the anniversaries of several matches at the Arizona Science Center on August 25. Please join us in congratulating these outstanding individuals. Here is to another beautiful year of mentoring.
traditions together. The observation began in 1968 under President
Lyndon Johnson with Sept. 15 recognizing the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Gua-temala, Honduras and
Nicaragua.
Mexican Wedding Cookies
What you need1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened1 cup powdered sugar, divided1 tsp. vanilla2 cups flour1 cup finely chopped pecans
Make itPREHEAT oven to 350°F. Beat butter, 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add flour and pecans, beating on low speed after each addition until well blended.
SHAPE dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 1-1/2 inches apart, on ungreased bak-ing sheets.
BAKE 14 to 15 min. or until bottoms of cookies are lightly browned. Cool 5 min. on baking sheets. Roll warm cookies in remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar until evenly coated; place on wire racks. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.
Meet Lindsey Roberts Events ManagerDate started at BBBSAZ: 6/20/12Hometown: BrooklynDescribe yourself in one word: hardworkingFavorite quote: “Questioning is the door of knowledge.” - Irish sayingFavorite childhood cartoon: Spongebob SquarepantsLeast favorite food: MeatFavorite school subject: EnglishFavorite place in Phoenix: Top of South MountainBest advice you have received: Nobody can give you wiser advice than yourself.What do you like best about your job? My coworkers!
BBBSAZ rolls up their sleeves atKids Clinic workshopOn Sept. 1, BBBSAZ and Home Depot kicked off a new partnership with a Kids Clinic work-shop, snacks and games in Glendale. More than 25 Littles and waiting Littles participated with help from dozens of Home Depot employ-ees who acted as Bigs for the day. Each Little assembled and decorated a wooden football goal post, just in time for football season, and walked away with a new backpack stuffed with school supplies thanks to generous Home De-pot employees who donated them. Be sure to attend the next Kids Clinic, held the first Saturday of every month at most Home Depot locations. Great work, Home Depot!
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Go Team Fitzgerald
Our very own Vice President of Marketing and Development, Laura Capello, was invited to speak on behalf of the BBBSAZ agency at
Arizona Cardinal Larry Fitzgerald’s celebrity waiter charity event on
August 27. Thank you, Larry, for being an
outstanding advocate for youth mentoring and a supporter of BBBSAZ.
Go Cards!
Materials: Hair dryerCrayola crayons (Works the best)Hot glueCanvas
Step 1: Hot glue crayons onto canvas. Create your own pattern, design, etc.
Step 2: Turn hair dryer on to the highest head setting and hold 2 inches away from crayons. They will start to melt.
Step 3: Continue to heat crayons until desired look is achieved. Voila!
Try me, maybe?
Thank you, Arizona Certified Public AccountantsTen matches had a great time on August 18th playing the game of “Life” courtesy of the Arizo-na Society of Certified Public Accountants (AS-PCA). Littles learned about insurance, spending money wisely, and planning for the future. ASPCA provided the games, the instruction, and lunch! Thank you!
It’s Back-To-School time!It’s about that time! Chances are your Little has headed back to school in the past weeks and while starting school can be a very exciting time, it can also be very stressful. As a Big, your role as a mentor and friend to your Little can be a great way to show support and encouragement during this time of new beginnings.
Some helpful tips:Ask how school is going: It never hurts to show interest in your Little’s aca-demic life and inquire about upcoming tests, projects and homework. School can be tough at times, so showing an interest can encourage your Little to share more details about school and opportunities for you to help.
Respect the school-night routine: The summer months are made for late-night television watching and sleeping the days away, but that ends when school starts. Be mindful that your Little’s schedule and availability most likely will change with school in session. It’s important to be respectful of the house rules for your Little so be sure to ask permission before having an outing on a school night and establish a curfew with your Little’s guardian, if needed.
Set a goal: School can get tiresome and mundane for any Little, but goal set-ting could be a great way to keep your Little motivated. Whether it’s work-ing toward an ‘A’ in math class or consistently maintaining positive behavior, there are plenty of options for goal setting to keep your Little on track and motivated throughout the year.
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By the numbers . . .Current
Active MatchesTotal
Youth served
Community-based
Average Match Length: Site-based
1,137 1,25227 Months
12 Months
Don’t Forget!
Paul’s Car Wash is coming ...October 22 to 26Desert Ridge Marketplace
Please visit www.bbbsaz.org/paulscarwash for more info.
Get your car ready for a good scrubbing in support of our wonderful Bigs and Littes! Our volunteers will be washing cars for five days straight and we invite you to join the fun in our quest to raise $50,000!
To donate, please visit www.bbbsaz.org/donatepaulscarwash
