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Big Brothers Big Sisters to Expand Latino Volunteer Recruitment and School- Based Mentoring Nationally Via $750,000 Cargill Grant
Communities in California, Virginia, Kansas, Tennessee, Indiana and Wisconsin to Receive Funds


PHILADELPHIA, June 28 /PRNewswire/ -- To expand its assistance to Hispanic youth and its school-based mentoring program in multiple states, Big Brothers Big Sisters has received a $750,000 three-year grant from Minneapolis-based Cargill.

Since 2004, the Big Brothers Big Sisters Hispanic Mentoring Initiative has increased the number of Latino mentors matched with Latino children by more than 50 percent. Cargill's $450,000 investment in this initiative will help recruit, enroll, train and support Hispanic matches in and around Los Angeles, Harrisonburg, Va., and Wichita and Dodge City, Kan. With increasing Hispanic populations in these communities, local agencies in these states will produce Spanish materials, recruit and train Spanish-speaking staff and build strong community connections to provide one-to-one relationships with Hispanic youth.

Cargill's $300,000 investment in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Bigs in Schools program will allow this program to expand in and around Wichita, Kan., Memphis, Tenn., Indianapolis and Milwaukee. Bigs in Schools matches adult volunteers with young people during the school day, typically for one hour each week during the academic year. Since the program's launch in 1999, Big Brothers Big Sisters has more than tripled the number of children it has served in schools throughout the United States.

"We are excited to be able to expand, with Cargill's assistance, our Hispanic Mentoring Initiative and Bigs in Schools program, and be able to enrich even more young people's lives through one-to-one friendships," said Judy Vredenburgh, president and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. "As our communities become more diverse and our schools become increasingly challenged to do more with less, Big Brothers Big Sisters is at the forefront of helping build better schools and stronger communities for all."

"I'm proud that Cargill is able to support the future educational and personal success of the children who are part of these highly successful Big Brothers Big Sisters programs," said Greg Page, president and COO, Cargill, and a member of the Big Brothers Big Sisters board of directors. "By helping ensure the future success of our young people, Cargill is directly impacting the success of the communities where our employees work and live."

About Big Brothers Big Sisters:

Big Brothers Big Sisters helps children reach their potential through one- to-one professionally supported relationships. The organization is building stronger schools and communities by serving more than 240,000 children, ages 6 through 18, in all 50 states. National research has shown the positive relationships between youth and their Big Brothers and Big Sisters have a direct and measurable impact on children's lives. Big Brothers Big Sisters has been named by Forbes Magazine as one of its top 10 charities. The national office is located in Philadelphia. To volunteer or donate, visit http://www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org/.

About Cargill:

Cargill is an international provider of food, agricultural and risk management products and services. With more than 142,000 employees in 61 countries, the company is committed to using its knowledge and experience to collaborate with customers to help them succeed. Cargill contributes more than $32 million each year to support charitable organizations working to enrich our local communities.

Website: http://www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org/