Hi friends,
At the end of 2011, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge received devastating news. A federal grant we were awarded that was to provide half of our operating budget for three years dried up after just one year. As we work to replace the $240,000 we lost and avoid programmatic cuts, we found something of a silver lining in re-evaluating our expenses.
We learned that a significant portion of our expenses was going to overhead costs, not programming. And so, we asked ourselves, “How can we reduce overhead costs and still be an efficient and effective regional agency?” We did our homework and learned that very successful regional Big Brothers Big Sister agencies centralize all administrative functions at one office location and employ “field agents” who work remotely in each region providing on-the-ground support to matches and their communities. And it works. These agencies provide services to hundreds of children in five or more regions, effectively and efficiently.
So, beginning January 1st, 2012, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Blue Ridge has adopted this delivery model, closed its satellite office in Waynesboro and centralized all administrative and programmatic functions to its Charlottesville office.
We know this transition will be difficult for some folks and we want to impress upon all our supporters that we are still 100% committed to providing the same, if not better, services to Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta Valley.
If you have any questions related to this announcement, please feel free to contact me directly at jbright@bbbsocbr.org.
We look forward to a exciting new year and the opportunity to continue serving you!
Best,
Jackie Bright
Executive Director
