Last week, Principal Financial Foundation announced it is donating $15,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa to fund the organization’s school-based program.
“We are always in need of school-based mentors and we are constantly trying to grow the amount of children we are able to serve,” BBBSCI CEO Kit Curran said. “[T]he support from Principal will help us enhance this program with better supplies, more volunteers and improved programming.”
BBBSCI’s school-based program serves 33 schools in Central Iowa, currently matching 321 children with mentors who meet with them in the school setting on a weekly basis. The Principal Financial Foundation’s grant will provide additional educational activities, physical activities and relationship-building opportunities for participants in the program.
“Principal’s gift will make a huge difference to the children we serve in the school-based program,” BBBSCI school-based program director Lisa Green said. “It will provide the tools to improve and enhance the overall quality of our mentoring relationships in many of our Des Moines schools.”
BBBSCI spokeswoman Sarah Robbins said the grants awarded by Principal are focused in the areas of education, health and human services, arts and culture, and civic, community and environmental causes. She said 20 Principal Financial Group employees currently volunteer as Bigs in BBBSCI programs.