TAMPA, Fla. and ROCKFORD, Mich., Jan.
14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Brothers Big Sisters
(BBBS) and Merrell are joining forces in a multi-year partnership
that will harness the power of being outside and make it more
accessible to more youth. Merrell, known for its outdoor and
lifestyle footwear and apparel, will be a premier outdoor industry
partner of BBBS and will work with the national one-to-one
mentoring organizations to create life-changing connections for
young people in the United States
and Canada.
The BBBS mentoring program pairs young people (called 'Little
Brothers' or 'Little Sisters') with caring adult mentors (called
'Big Brothers' or 'Big Sisters'). The goal of the partnership
with Merrell is to break down the barriers to the outdoors that
youth face while providing outside activities for Bigs and Littles
to enjoy together. With heightened time spent indoors and behind
screens due to societal changes and the COVID-19 pandemic, Merrell
and BBBS are committed to encouraging and providing youth access to
the outdoors in order for them to reap the imperative mental and
physical health benefits time outside provides.
In addition to a financial contribution to BBBS and outdoor gear
to youth in the mentoring programs, the partnership will bring more
awareness and increase equity for all youth, who may not have
adequate access to nature, natural parks, or public trails. The
need for connecting is even stronger now, with young people facing
social isolation due to the pandemic.
"For many of the young people in our program, simply walking to
the park isn't a possibility," said Artis
Stevens, incoming President and CEO of Big Brothers Big
Sisters of America. "It requires public transportation, extensive
planning and sometimes it's cost prohibitive to do something as
simple as finding a safe place to go for a walk or ride a bike.
Partners like Merrell see the value of leveling the playing field
so all youth—regardless of their socio-economic status or where
they live—have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors."
"We've seen research that shows early exposure to nature and
green spaces can support mental and physical health," said
Matthew Chater, National President
and CEO, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada. "And when you consider that many of
the youth we serve are already facing adverse childhood experiences
—trauma, abuse or neglect— having this type of outlet for their
well-being can make a long-lasting, positive impact on their
lives."
"Our purpose at Merrell is to share the simple power of being
outside with everyone. We believe the earlier you get outside the
better – hopefully to reap a lifetime of the physical and emotional
benefits of the outdoors," said Chris
Hufnagel, Global Brand President of Merrell. "Our
partnership with BBBS will bring together our joint missions of
getting more youth the access they otherwise would not have in
order to foster a lifelong connection to our outside spaces,
whether it's a local park or your front yard."
The partnership will develop guides, resources, and activations
to give Bigs and Littles opportunities to get outside, with
elevated campaigns during times such as Great Outdoors Month in
June, as well as Merrell's 40th birthday
celebration happening throughout the year. During Big Brothers Big
Sisters Month in September, Bigs and Littles will have the
opportunity to participate in the Step Further Challenge, an
interactive activity to track outdoor activities and
compete with others.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Founded in
1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the largest and most
experienced youth mentoring organization in the United States. The mission of Big Brothers
Big Sisters of America is to create and support one-to-one
mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
Big Brothers Big Sisters' evidence-based approach is designed to
create positive youth outcomes, including educational success,
avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater
confidence, and improved relationships. Big Brothers Big Sisters
has 230+ local agencies serving more than 5,000 communities across
all 50 states. For more information, visit:
www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada
Established 106 years ago, the
mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada is to enable life-changing mentoring
relationships to ignite the power and potential of young people.
Big Brothers Big Sisters provides one-on-one and group mentoring
services for more than 40,000 children and youth in 1,100
communities across Canada. Many
young people face adversities in their lives, resulting in toxic
stress that can negatively impact their development. With the
support of a mentor, young people can overcome these adversities
and develop the confidence to reach their full potential. Visit
www. https://bigbrothersbigsisters.ca/ for more
information.
About Merrell
Merrell® exists to share the
simple power of being outside. As the global leader in outdoor
active footwear with the Moab hiking boot and Jungle Moc, Merrell
is focused on merging performance, styling, and comfort to empower
all people to confidently explore the outdoors. Merrell is
celebrating its 40th birthday in 2021 with a mission to
build an inclusive and sustainable outside environment for future
generations to enjoy. Visit Merrell.com, the Merrell Newsroom, or
follow us on social @Merrell. Merrell® is a division of
Wolverine World Wide (NYSE: WWW), one of the world's leading
marketers and licensors of branded casual, active lifestyle,
work, outdoor sport, athletic, children's and uniform footwear and
apparel.
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SOURCE Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
