2009 Annual Report

the BIG pictureBig Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa, (BBBSO), is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a one-to-one mentoring experience for children and youth in the National Capital Region. We believe in the power of friendship. At BBBSO, a positive volunteer adult role model, a “Big”, is matched with a child or youth, a “Little”, between the ages of 6 and 17. Through the provision of gender-specific and co-ed programming, children are matched with the most appropriate role model – male or female - based on similar interests. The Bigs and Littles in our program experience the magic of everyday moments when they are shared with a friend. Everyone needs someone to laugh with, share dreams and just hangout... with friends it’s the little things that mean the most.

Many children are still waiting for a Big…

There is an average of 160 children on our waiting list at all times and with an operating budget of $1.1 million, we must continually generate revenue to serve children who are eagerly waiting for a Big.

We are proud to have been able to support 1103 children through mentoring programs in 2009; however, it is still far from our stratgeic goal of serving 1248 children by 2010.

Mentoring Works!

Ottawa has grown substantially over the years and so has the number of youth who would benefit from having a positive mentor in their lives.The need is greater than ever to help us to continue to foster, facilitate and support valuable mentoring programs.

Having a mentor helps children develop self-confidence, self-esteem and the ability to make healthy age appropriate life choices.

Littles report that having a Big in their lives positively influences their self confidence, provides stability, influences aspects of their education, and changes their perspectives on life. They learn new things and are pushed to set higher goals and make better decisions.

Children who participate in our programs not only create a special friendship, but they also have opportunities to participate in monthly group activities, apply for scholarships, attend camps all over the country and receive free tickets to entertainment and sporting events.

Mission Foster, facilitate and

support volunteer based mentoring programs for

children in need.

Vision All children in Ottawa will have a mentor.

2009 Annual Report2

A message from our outgoing President, Natalie McGee

What were some of your most memorable moments as a President/Board Member at BBBSO?

Despite the serious funding setbacks we experienced during the latter half of 2009, the resultant team effort that pulled together a rapid recovery plan and day-to-day management effort for this agency was truly a highlight. Just goes to prove that under adverse conditions, the best in people emerge.

What do you see as your biggest accomplishment in your time a President? Is there anything you didn’t quite get to that you wished you had?

My biggest accomplishment is simply having left the Board in a better condition than when I found it. Thanks to strong leadership underpinning work by previous presidents, I was able to complete the transition from a hands-on working style to a strategic governing board. Out of deep respect for the talented professionals and community members assembled around our Board table, I endeavored to create an efficient, high functioning, and yet amiable board culture whereby difficult decisions were made without losing anyone along the way.

I wished I would have seen the time where sustainable fund resourcing and development was in place, if only to reduce our risk on reliance to only a few major donors. I already see small changes and am absolutely convinced that the current management team and Board team at the table are the right group of people to make it happen in the very near term.

In last year’s Big Wrap-Up we chatted about your role as a Big Sister. You and your Little Sister were just about to graduate and she was headed off to college. Tell us what has happened in the last year.

Andrea is doing great! We continue to stay in touch, now it’s more often via social networking than in-person as she is attending her first year at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario! The scholarship she received from CIBC YouthVision is being put to good use as she studies full-time in the Biotechnology Technologist program. Besides that, she is living away from home for the first time, making new friends and facing new challenges as a resident on campus. I know she’s doing well academically and is even considering being a resident advisor next year on campus for the next generation of “frosh” who arrive. I’m so proud.

These are challenging times for charities, what are your hopes for BBBSO as it moves into the future?

The reality of reliance on two major sources of funding, and one major fund raising event really exposes our organization to great risk should one of those resources shift. We experienced this firsthand in late in 2009. It is certainly a challenge, but the time is really opportune for reform. We have begun an effort, starting with the 40th anniversary of BBBSO, to reform our fund development approach such that our risk is minimized and we smooth our reliance on only a few funders. Options like going viral and online, getting more youth involved as donors earlier, recognizing that no donation is too small, are all new directions we’re exploring. If we don’t take it, we could easily find ourselves back in this same place - in the not too distance future.

What’s next for you?

I am going to consider my options for making my next contribution, but in the meantime I remain a sure behind the scenes supporter of BBBSO. I have always maintained that my most satisfying experience was being a Big Sister to Andrea, perhaps more direct and hands-on volunteerism is in store. There are many talented volunteers remaining on the Board, and those yet to arrive, who I know will provide tremendous ongoing leadership by governing the agency and taking it to the next level of achievement: sustainable fund resourcing. I wish them success and look forward to the years ahead to see how the current crop of Directors shapes and evolves this wonderful organization and serve Ottawa and community for the next 40 years!

2009 Annual Report4

A message from our new President, Trevor Clost

How did you become associated with BBBSO?

I have always been involved in the community in some way or another. I volunteered with the minor hockey association as a coach and volunteered with a local nursery school as a stay at home dad with my youngest son. Becoming a Big Brother and mentoring individual youth in various capacities was always at the forefront of my intentions, however schedule and family commitments did not allow for this to happen. In 2005 I was asked to participate on a committee and to help organize the Celebration of Friendship. This gave me an opportunity to help the youth in my own way.

As the new President what is your vision for BBBSO? Short-term and long-term.

As the new President of the Board of directors for BBBSO my short-term goal is to contribute to the development of a sustainable funding plan. This will help not only with sustaining the much needed day to day operations but will also be key in supporting the matching of Big’s with Little’s. I would also like to see the increased stability of board members for the organization, all of whom would share a common goal and an overall understanding of the important work that is being done. As for my long-term vision, I would like to establish the organization as a community leader when it comes to mentoring youth. It would be great to see our organizational and service model as successful and innovative and where other organizations will want to follow our lead. In the long run, I see that our organization has the potential for expanding its reach to various areas of the city, where there is also a great need.

2009 was a challenging year, how do you feel 2010 looks for BBBSO?

I agree that 2009 was an extremely challenging year for BBBSO, both from an organization and a financial perspective. We have dealt with numerous changes, with a new Executive Director, new President of the Board of Directors, and many new board members. Furthermore, the recession or economic down turn did impact us. But I believe that in 2010 we have the right team in place to help bring BBBSO and the programs offered to the next level, and make an even bigger impact on our community.

2009 Board of DirectorsNatalie McGee, President, Executive Committee

Trevor Clost, Vice President, Executive Committee

Marie-Noëlle Sinotte, Treasurer, Executive Committee, Chair - Finance and Audit Committee

Bronwen Dearlove, Secretary, Executive Committee, Chair - Governance Committee

Kevin Thibert, Member at large, Executive Committee

Sarah Saad, Finance & Audit Committee

Philippe Dufresne, Governance Committee,PR & Outreach Work Group

Gregg M. Kennedy, PR & Outreach Work Group

Tracey Welsh, PR & Outreach Work Group

Kevin Guérin, PR & Outreach Work Group

Sean Mullen, Chair - PR & Outreach Work Group

BIG things to come - aninterview with Robert Eves

What are some of the highlights from 2009?

This year has been both challenging and exciting for BBBSO. Throughout the year, we embarked on several new initiatives. We officially launched Buddy Up! our first ever on-line fundraising campaign. Not only did this innovative campaign raise $20,000, but it garnered extensive media coverage, giving BBBSO excellent visibility in the community. Speaking of visibility, we also held our inaugural public relations event, The Big Wrap Up. The event surpassed our expectations and provided a great opportunity to publicly thank our many sponsors, donors and volunteers without whom none of our work would be possible. We also hosted our newly re-designed signature event, Big Art in the City, and raised an additional $50,000 for BBBSO. On the program side, we are always seeking innovative ways to serve children in need. Our newest program, Big Bunch, launched with generous support from the Bank of America. This great new program allows us to provide support to children waiting to be matched with a mentor.

The current economic context had an impact on many charities across Canada. What was BBBS’s Ottawa experience?

Early in 2009, we took aggressive steps to reign in our expenditures and put into action an ambitious fundraising plan to ensure our sustainability for the long term. This work is an important investment in our future, an investment that is putting us in position to regain and grow as soon as possible. In fact, this work has already created new opportunities for 2010, including the return of our new Buddy Up! Campaign and a renewed relationship with our long-standing partner Cisco. We are thrilled that Cisco will be coming on-board as the Official Presenting Sponsor for our 40th anniversary in 2010. While there still remains much to do to continue to strengthen our capabilities and financial sustainability, our expenditure review exercise coupled with the aggressive fund development plan have put us in a stronger position to deliver on our mission.

Sounds like you are optimistic about where BBBS Ottawa is headed. Is there anything standing in your way?

To be frank there is one particular barrier we have yet to overcome. On average most people see us as a place to volunteer but not necessarily donate their money. After consulting with our stakeholders and community, it has become clear that we have not been as effective as we could be in explaining the costs associated with making effective matches. It costs about $1400 to make a match, which includes conducting background checks on volunteers to ensuring child safety; and providing ongoing support for children, families and volunteers to build and sustain long-lasting relationships. We have so many generous individuals stepping up to be matched with a little but we just don’t have the resources to make matches happen for every child that is on our waiting list. It is heart breaking. We need to better explain what is involved.

Anything else you would like to add?

I would like to thank the more than 500 dedicated volunteers who get involved as mentors and in our fundraising activities and without whom none of our work would be possible. I would also like to thank our very dedicated and professional staff. To their credit, we were able to increase the number of children we served this past year. Well done!

In closing, I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to our past President Natalie McGee for the leadership that she provided to BBBSO. She has been a formidable champion for us all. We wish her all the very best in her new adventures.

Thanks also to all the members of our Board of Directors that provide such expert oversight and wise counsel.

I hope you enjoy reading about some of our highlights from 2009. Merci beaucoup et bonne lecture!

Robert Eves Executive Director

2009 Annual Report6

being part of something BIG! Enrollment/Community RelationsIn 2009, our Ambassador group continued to grow and we recruited 3 Big Sisters, 2 parents and 3 Littles. Our Ambassadors are the best communicators, sharing their real stories and the impact that our programs have had in their lives.

The impact of our community relations initiatives continued in 2009 receiving 446 applications across all programs for the year. We saw growth across several programs with 78 application for Big Brothers, 90 applications for Mentoring InSchool and 53 for Go Girls!

At the end of 2009, due to financial constraints enrollment could not accept any new applications from Bigs or Littles. With 180 children on our waitlist, who in some cases had already waited two years for a Big, we did not want to extend wait times. In addition, we had 75 Bigs ready to be matched and over 100 still being processed.

Reaching our Community Through New Channels

In April 2009, the BBBSO Blog celebrated its one year anniversary. We continued to receive support from WebFuel through their Community Support Program. The blog posts agency news, testimonials from Bigs, Littles and parents as well as upcoming events and fundraising initiatives.

In trying to keep up with the latest social media fads, BBBSO also created a Facebook group and tweets regularly.

Big Brother, Big Sister, Buddy Up, Couples MatchOur match program continues to be a popular choice for Big Brothers, Big Sisters and Couples. The traditional mentoring program allows children to develop a friendship with a caring adult by spending time together on a weekly basis. This program saw many match closures over the year for a variety of different reasons. With many older matches, we are starting to see much turn-over, however, this means creating more spaces for new matches. With only 2 full-time Mentoring Coordinators, our match program is growing slowly but surely.

2008 2009

165 170 Matches

165 170 Littles

167 172 Bigs

29 47 New

Bank of America Big Bunch ProgramThanks to a generous donation from Bank of America, the first Big Bunch program started in January 2009. This group mentoring program matches 5-6 Big Brothers with 10-12 Little Brothers, ages 6-16. Groups get together every second week for 6 months and participate in various activities organized by BBBSO. This program is designed for Littles who are currently waiting for a Big Brother from the Match Program and is great for volunteers who have busy schedules and could benefit from the planning Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa provides.

Camperships This program provides subsidies for Little Brothers and Little Sisters to attend summer camp and also provides a one week day camp for Littles through Kids ‘N Kops. Through these opportunities, Littles can participate in a wide variety of skill building activities. The Kids ‘N Kops program is run in collaboration with the RCMP, Ottawa Police Service and Military police, and new in 2009, the Ottawa Fire Department.

Group ActivitiesThese programs are aimed at providing Little Sisters and Little Brothers with social- and skill-building opportunities, as well as providing recreational activities in support of our matches. Bigs and Littles were able to attend some traditional activities such as our annual Holiday Party and a variety of new activities including an astronomy night, mini putting and Thai cooking.

a little time makes a BIG difference!

20Littles

10Bigs

2008 2009

61 100 Littles

113 103 CampSpots

565 515 CampDays

2008 2009

530 612 Participants

13 12 Activities

2009 Annual Report8

Mentoring In SchoolThis program matches caring and motivated adults with Elementary School children aged 7 to 14 during the school day.

Meet You In SchoolThis program matches Elementary School children aged 7 to 11 in need of a positive male or female role model with mature placement students from high school or college to help build positive self-esteem and social skills.

In 2009, this program saw a significant decrease in interest from high school students and the loss of placement students from Algonquin College and La Cité Collegial due to program changes. As result of the loss of students, this program was reduced to only 1 Mentoring Coordinator to allow us to utilize our staff resources in other programs.

Go Girls!Thanks to a grant received by the Ministry of Education, a part-time Go Girls! Mentoring Coordinator was hired in September 2009.

This site-based program matches 1 Big with 2-4 Littles over a seven week period within the school system and promotes healthy choices through life skill development relating to physical activity participation, healthy eating and positive self-image.

Boys Mentoring Program

2008 2009

127 152 Littles

29 46 Bigs

5Littles

2Bigs

One BIG reason to go back to school!Our InSchool Mentoring programs make up almost half of the children mentored yearly. These programs continue to grow and develop new partnerships with new schools each year.

2008 2009

146 148 Matches

146 148 Littles

118 148 Bigs

2008 2009

387 299 Matches

387 299 Littles

92 66 Bigs

New in 2009 BBBSO participated in a pilot project for a boy’s version of Go Girls! This group program, developed by OPHEA, is focused on physical activity and healthy eating always incorporating some fun into sessions.

Invest in something BIG . . . Every dollar counts!Your gift to Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa will help to:

• Recruit Big Brother and Big Sister Volunteers;

• Cover the cost of reference checks, background checks and insurance for our Bigs;

• Perform Interviews and home assessments;

• Provide Child Safety training to the Littles, the Parent/Guardians and the potential Bigs;

• Ensure trained professionals match children to caring, responsible and suitable Bigs;

• Offer one-on-one, ongoing supervision and support for each match;

• Provide opportunities to attend group mentoring activities for the Littles who are waiting to be matched;

• Provide subsidies that allow Littles to attend summer day camp including our own Kids n’ Kops camp delivered by BBBSO;

• Provide opportunities for apprenticeships and scholarships for our Littles;

• Help support our Holiday Hamper Program for families in need; and

• Allow us to provide a referral service for the families we serve.

There are several ways that you can become a donor and make a BIG difference to the children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa:

• By making a monetary donation, a tribute gift or a Gift in Memory of a friend or loved one.

• Gifts in Kind

• Planned Giving

• Event Sponsorship

• Making a purchase (event ticket, auction item, etc.)

• Holding a Third Party Event or Initiative to benefit BBBSO

2009 marked the inception of our fundraising committee, the Council for Advancement. This passionate group’s mandate is to encourage both individuals and organizations to make an investment in Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa. A BIG thank you to our members:

Grahame Aitken GSA Associates

Yvette Boudreau KPMG

Michael Church Avison Young

Linda Graupner Consultant

Dr. Carol Kirby Professor

Natalie McGee TELUS

Greg Miskie Kelly Santini LLP

Deputy Chief Susan O’Sullivan Ottawa Police Service

Shawn Piasentin Xerox

2008 2009

387 299 Matches

387 299 Littles

92 66 Bigs

2009 Annual Report10

$5,000+ Graham Clarke

$1,000 - $4,999Lois AllenKaren CooperRobert EvesLinda GraupnerMarie-Odile JunkerJames MondryDawn PickeringCindy Smith 2 Anonymous Donors

$500 - $999Monique Belair Jacques BérubéTrevor ClostBronwen DearloveThe Reesa Greenberg Family PartnershipMike Halhed Natalie McGeeMarie-Noëlle Sinotte 1 Anonymous Donor

$250 - $499Terry AnsariDonald BayneBarry BurkeMichelle Casimir MooMichael Church Louis de MeloCliff FoleyKevin GuerinJohn JohnstonRon KoomasJean-Marc LabrosseLeah LepageAnn Mainville-NeesonPaul MayerAnne McAllisterPatricia McLeodSarah SaadCarrie SpencerKevin ThibertAnne Wright5 Anonymous Donors

$100 to $249Sandra BlaikieChristine BlaineDavid BudzinskiDenise ClementMatthew DarwinDebra DaunceyTessa DerksenPaul DubasFrancoise DuminyDaniel DutrisacDonna EastwoodEli El-ChantiryMaha El-ChantiryJudy EvesBarbara FarmerLaurie FentonChantal FortinJohn Hamilton

Brian HansonDawson HoveySteve HrehoriakLois M. HurstLaura JoyceSeamus KellyJames KilpatrickWilliam KnightSusan LewisDeanna LivingstonBob MacGowanLynne MacHattieNancy MaddamsLyne MarcilIvan MartinJen McLintonMarjorie MelickMarie-Claude MentorPatti Moran

Anca NicolinMary OlfertSusan O’SullivanPatricia PetersonBronwyn ReesNoreen RoneyLouis SenecalJeff SuttonAlok TakkarEric ThibaultElizabeth WagleTracey Welsh 42 Anonymous Donors

Thank you to those who invested in something BIG in 2009! Each year, Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa (BBBSO) relies on the generosity of individuals and corporate partners to support the organization. Gifts from caring supporters, like those who are recognized on the following pages, make it possible to provide young people, in need of additional support with a caring mentor and positive role model that can help expand their horizons, realize their potential and enrich their futures – changing their lives.

A little investment in a child today can make a BIG difference in their future and that of our community. Thank you to the following individuals who made a gift to Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa in 2009:

“I chose monthly giving because it allows me to provide a reliable source of funding, year round.

The ripple effect is that my contribution lessens the amount of time required by BBBSO to

fundraise and in turn increases their ability to form positive mentoring opportunities. Monthly giving is ‘almost painless’ and makes me feel

like I am very much part of the solution to providing a level playing field for children, who require some positive affirmation, at this point

in their lives.”

Cliff Foley

$500,000+

United Way/Centraide Ottawa

$100,000 - $499,999

City of Ottawa

$20,000 - $49,999

Cisco Ministry of Education

$5,000 - $19,999

Bank of America Joint Grant-Ministry of Health Promotions, Community Action Fund / COGECO Catholic Education Foundation of Ottawa-Carleton Scotiabank TD Waterhouse

$1,000 - $4,999

Best Buy Canada Emond Harnden LLP Invesco Trimark The Keg Spirit Foundation Ontario Insurance Adjusters TELUS

$500 - $999

Bell Canada Elgin Street Diner Gap Inc. Monsignor Paul Baxter Memorial Foundation Puran Shanti Education Fund

$100 - 499

Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada BMO Employee Charitable Foundation Boys and Girls Club The Burton Charitable Foundation Canadian Association of Gift Planners Dell Direct Giving Campaign Ann Diamond Fund Faster Agency Hendrix Hotel & Restaurant Equipment & Supplies Hewlett-Packard (Canada) Ltd. Hydro One IBM Employees’ Charitable Fund Kiwanis Club of Rideau Ottawa National Capital Marathon Inc. St. John’s Communications United Way of Peel Region Unity Savings & Credit Union Limited

Thanks to the following organizations whose 2009 investments have benefited our community’s most important assets – our children:

gifts in kind . . . a BIG help!When you make a Gift in Kind to BBBSO, we use your generous donations for our children, families and matches, for our programs or for auction items at our Fundraising Events. We are very fortunate to also receive Gifts of Service. These gifts save us money, which can then go directly into our programs.

Here are some examples of Gifts in Kind we have received:

• Tickets to events, such as sporting games, movies, concerts, plays or events • Gift certificates to local restaurants or spas • Items for Fundraising Auctions • Retail store gift cards • New books, new toys or new sporting equipment • Design and Print services

Gifts in Kind – IndividualsHans AggarwalBen BabelowskyEugene BaranowskiStephen BeginKen BellowsLeona CairnieGraham ClarkeRaymonde CowanMargaret DubueAmanda ForsythDavid GisborneJim GuilletJennifer HallRick HansonRenate HulleyJohn A. McMunagleLorraine JohnstonSteven Jones

Lu JonescuMax Keeping Jennifer KershawAndrew KingDiana KrallStephanie Lachman-DoucetEric LangeNatalie MacMasterAnne MurrayDavid NeilsonCynthia NixonTanya NorthcottRoger NowackIvan PetrovPeter RiehmAna Maria RutenbergNancy RyanMonika SeidenbuschWilliam Shatner

Patricia SmithLaurie SponagleCharles SprattChris StrangemoreKeifer SutherlandDavid SuzukiAnna TyersStephanie WellmanChief Vernon WhiteDonna Danuta WiegandPinchas Zuckerman

Thank you to the following individuals and companies who have generously made Gifts in Kind to BBBSO in 2009:

“I have been involved with BBBSO for only a short time but I saw right from the start the inspiration that the

Littles and their Bigs provide to the whole organization. For me,

their smiles say it all! Congratulations on your 40th.”

Peter Riehm, President

2009 Annual Report12

planned givingMaking your legacy one of hope for children and youth in our communityLeaving a gift to BBBSO in your will (a bequest) allows you to have a profound impact on the future of BBBSO in a very meaningful way and allows us to continue to advance our mission to foster, facilitate and support volunteer based mentoring programs for children in need for generations to come.

Have you thought about . . .

Gifts of Life Insurance – By naming BBBSO as the beneficiary of either an existing policy or a new policy, you can ensure that the proceeds will go directly into progams and you can benefit from the tax credits available through this kind of gift.

Gifts of Securities -- You can donate a gift of publicly traded stock or securities to BBBSO and eliminate the capital gain tax.

For more information on any of the giving options listed above, please contact Cindy Smith at (613) 247-4776 ext. 316 or cindys@bbbso.ca

Gifts in Kind - Corporate

67’s Hockey

Adventure Laflèche

Art Life Design

Bayshore Shopping Centre

Beckta Dining & Wine

Best Buy Canada

Birds of a Feather Oasis

Boston Pizza

C.A. Paradis

Canadian Agriculture Museum

Canadian Aviation Museum

Canadian Museum of Nature

Canadian Museum of

Science & Technology

Cargojet

Casino du Lac-Leamy

Chapeaux de Madeleine

Cisco

Climec Residential Inc

Collective Wellness Spa

Cosmic Adventures

Courtyard Restaurant

CPI Interiors

Crabtree & Evelyn

The Crowne Plaza

Curves

D. Larry Segal Law Offices

Dollarama L.P.

Eddie May Murder Mysteries

Empire Grill

European Spa Boutique

Fred Astaire Dance Studio

Fun Junction

Future Shop

Megadance Ltd

Gemini Kitchen & Bath

Giant Tiger

Goodlife Fitness

Groovy Grapes Inc.

Henry’s

In Good Taste Personal Chef

Investors Group

Kanata Wave Pool

Lalonde Berry Farm

Les Petits Ballets

Lions Club of Cumberland

Lorna’s Dance Studio

Magpie Jewellery

Metta Massage

Midway

Mission Stream

The Mud Oven

National Art Centre

National Gallery of Canada

Nepean Fine Arts League

Ottawa Art Gallery

Paul’s Boat Lines Ltd

Perfectly Posh Parties

Pinto Valley Trails

Play Food & Wine

Rage Entertainment

Rama Lotus Yoga Centre

The Rideau Centre

Rockcliffe Flying Club

Shanti Consulting

Studio Four 30

Tag Zone

Urban Elements

The Works Gourmet Burger Bistro

Wakefield Mill & Spa

Westjet

“Me and my Big Sister Leslie have gone to a lot of movies, including G-Force and others.

Also gone to the BBBSO Holiday Party. We are going to do Christmas shopping next. We have

also made home-made necklaces.“ Laura

2009 Annual Report14

On October 2, 2009, in the Penthouse of the Crowne Plaza, our guests at the 39th Big Art Event, experienced a taste of the Big Apple with incredible art work, smooth sounds of jazz and unique New York style foods!

This event raised over $50,000 in support of mentoring programs for children and youth right here in our community. A BIG thank you to Cisco, our presenting sponsor, for making this possible. Thanks to our hosts Big Carrie and Little Brianna and our wonderful auctioneer, Lawrence Greenspon. Thank you to Peter Riehm (Art Life Design) for all the graphic design work, to Steven Jones (Mission Stream) for print and to Chris Strangemore who was our paparazzi for the evening. The evening would not have been the same without our featured artists: Ben Babelowsky, Anna Funnekotter, Lu Jonescu, Jennifer Kershaw, Tanya Northcott, Monika Seidenbusch, Laurie Sponagle, Charles Spratt and Stephanie Wellman . . . Thank you!

Thanks to the Big Art in the City Committee Members:

Barry Burke, Honourary Chair

Jarrod Chambers Karen Keskinen

AJ Colbourne Sanjay Mohanta

Steven Jones Peter Riehm

Ruth Kemp Catherine Sinclair

The Big Picture contest was a digital photography contest that gave a chance for all children to participate in a way that is creative. This contest was developed and managed by Steven Jones of Mission Stream. Prizes were awarded at our Big Art in the City Event. Thanks Steven and our prize sponsor Henry’s and Best Buy!

Red Shoes by Graham Parr, age 14

Presented by:

Thank you to all our Sponsors:

Big Art In the City

2009 marked the first Buddy Up Campaign, a campaign to help enrich the lives of children in our community. We were fortunate to have two community leaders as Co-Chairs of this campaign – Chief Vern White and Sandra Blaikie. This innovative campaign challenged members of the community to Buddy Up and make a donation towards the goal of reducing the number of children on the Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa waiting list, which over the past year, rose to as many as 190 children waiting.

The campaign was launched at the Elgin Street Diner, who generously donated a portion of their food profits from the day. We were fortunate to have Senator Jim Munson, a former Big Brother, address the crowd on the importance of mentoring.

We were also fortunate to have our “Featured Littles” that put a face to the campaign. Thank you to: Bryn, Patrick, Laura, Kaitryn, Alexandre, Michael, Felicity, Kade, Rachel and Leslie.

A Big thank you to our Co-Chairs, our Buddy Up Donors and the following sponsors:

“I can’t imagine how completely different my life would be without the invaluable support of many mentors in my early years. Mentors shape us, encourage us, support us and give us confidence and courage to pursue big dreams. I am delighted to contribute to this initiative. I’m certain it will have a major impact on many young lives.”

Sandra Blaikie

“Buddy Up is a great way for people to contribute to Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa programs and see the positive impact the programs have on the Littles’ lives.”

Ottawa Police Chief Vern White

Buddy Up 2010 will launch

on April 28th, please visitwww.buddyup.ca

to be a part of something BIG today

Third Party Events . . . BIG Fun!BBBSO is fortunate to have incredible support from our community, from individuals, small business and corporations. No event is too BIG or too LITTLE and they are loads of fun! The staff at BBBSO would be pleased to offer advice and guidance on how to get started. We can also offer you information, signage and speakers to enhance your event.

We truly appreciate the following individuals, companies and groups that held an event to benefit BBBSO in 2009:

The BBBSO Team

Best Buy Canada

Billings Bridge Plaza

Canada Revenue Agency

Carleton University

Certified General Accountants Association of Ontario

City of Ottawa

Frank Ryan Catholic School

Gloucester North Lions Club

The Keg Spirit Foundation

LCBO Eastern Regional Office

Jayna Moar

Ottawa Senators Foundation

Paroisse St-Bonaventure

Transport Canada (Technology Information Management Services Directorate)

Women’s Business Network Association of Ottawa

Annie Pham

Angela Begin

April Clavel-Cholette

Breanna Gibbon *

Bronwyn Rees

Caitlin Dollimore

Cindy Smith

Eric Lapierre

Jennifer Mitchell

Julie Crabtree

Robert Eves

Sameera Bader

Stacey Charles

Stephanie Cobb

Steve Longpré *

Sue Hall

Tracy Moore

* Staff who left in 2009 to pursue other dreams

2009 Annual Report16

56%

6%

7%

4%

16%

11%

71%

22%

2%

2%1% 2%

Where the money comes from

(56%) United Way/Centraide Ottawa $ 588,506 ( 6%) Special Activities $ 67,391 Big Art Ticket sales (16%) City of Ottawa $ 173,451 (11%) Grants $ 110,717 ( 7%) Annual Giving $ 70,660 ( 4%) Other $ 40,629

financial snapshot

The complete 2009 Audited Financial Statements are available from BBBSO upon request

Where the money goes

(71%) Salaries and benefits* $ 780,497 (22%) Program costs $ 235,217 (2%) Special Activities $ 18,562 (1%) Annual Giving $ 11,200 (2%) Memberships and professional fees $ 22,176 (2%) Amortization of capital assets $ 20,134

* Salaries and benefits allocations: Program $ 676,435 Fundraising $ 104,062

Balance Sheet as at December 31, 2009

2009 2008

CURRENT ASSETS Cash $ 29,094 $ 55,855 Accounts receivable 42,393 25,103 Other Current Assets 16,582 54,975

CAPITAL ASSETS 14,430 18,921

TOTAL ASSETS 102,499 154,854

CURRENT LIABILITIESAccounts payable $ 47,777 $ 54,541 Other Current Liabilities 7,332 22,096

OBLIGATION UNDER CAPITAL LEASE 5,605 0

FUND BALANCES Unrestricted funds 34,449 - Externally Restricted funds 3,134 3,169 Internally Restricted funds 4,202 75,048

TOTAL LIABILITIES & FUND BALANCES 102,499 154,854

2009 Annual Report18

BIG AchievementsCIBC Youthvision ScholarshipFor the past 10 years, thirty high school students from coast to coast have been recipients of the CIBC Youthvision Scholarship valued at up to $34,000 each.

In 2009, two Littles from BBBSO were winners receiving an opportunity for internship and post-secondary education which would not have been possible otherwise.

One of the recipients is a young man who is described by his Big Brother of 3 years as a very intelligent young man who displays qualities of respect, politeness, consideration and inquisitiveness as well as the maturity and judgment that future leaders are made of. He keeps himself very busy with responsibilities such as a part time job, household chores and volunteering at the National Capital Visually Impaired Sports Association. The second recipient is a young woman who aspires to work in a social work field in order to help those in need and give back to her community. She is described by her long time Big Sister as having incredible maturity, patience, understanding, compassion and acceptance towards others. This recipient already shows great dedication to giving back to her community through her many volunteer efforts such as helping out with respite care and volunteering at a Senior Centre.

We extend our congratulations to Stephanie Hagerman and Nick Blanchet for this tremendous accomplishment.

Robert Allen InSchool Mentoring Achievement AwardSince 2005, Littles from our InSchool Mentoring programs have had the opportunity to be nominated for the Robert Allen InSchool Mentoring Achievement Award. This award came about thanks to the generous donation from Robert Allen who, in his own life, experienced the power of mentoring.

The annual award is given to Mentoring InSchool and/or Meet You In School Littles who display overall improvement as a result of their participation in the program.

In 2009, 4 extraordinary students each received a plaque for their school, a personalized certificate and a $100 gift certificate for HBC.

Tim, from Blossom Park, was nominated by the school liaison, Janet Marr, who explained “he is thriving as a result of his mentor relationship… he is demonstrating more consistency every week… he is more confident and happier and this is translating into huge social gains.”

Jordan, from Frank Ryan, was nominated by the school liaison, Louise Montgomery. Jordan began his school year as a shy student struggling academically. As he spent time with his Big Brother, Jason, he began communicating more and showing more interest in class, also opening up to his teachers.

Cassandra, from Brother André, was nominated by the school liaison, Cyndi Marshall, who told us “her love of learning has emerged and is growing daily… She has developed friendships and is now participating more fully in her class activities.”

Benjamin, from Viscount Alexander, was nominated by his Big Sister, Alexandre. Benjamin started off the year very quiet and shy but showed tremendous improvement in his ability to be flexible and accept new ideas. He also displayed more self-confidence and random acts of kindness towards his peers.

Mentor of the YearThis award was presented to Lois Allen, former BBBSO Executive Director, during the 2008 annual general meeting. It is given in recognition of an individual Mentor’s demonstrated level of exceptional commitment, effort and accomplishment in his or her BBBSO mentoring relationship.

This year’s recipient is Marie-Claude Mentor, graduated Big Sister and former Board Member.

Over the last 5 years, Marie-Claude Mentor and her Little Sister have developed such an incredibly strong bond that even in light of Marie-Claude’s recent move from the city, we are sure that their friendship will continue to blossom. According to her Little Sister,

Marie-Claude has been an inspirational person in her life and has helped her to become the successful person that she is today. Marie-Claude has been instrumental in finding beneficial opportunities for Zeinab and working tirelessly to ensure her the best possible chance of receiving them. As if this weren’t enough, throughout the course of the match, Marie-Claude has not only dedicated her time and energy to her Little Sister but has also been an important and dedicated part of our Board of Directors for 2 years. Marie-Claude has a huge heart and has consistently demonstrated her caring and consideration for not only her Little Sister but for the members of the agency as well. We will all miss the energy and enthusiasm that she brought to many of the events we held. We would like to congratulate Marie-Claude on this well deserved award and wish her the best of luck going forward.

Cisco Mentoring InSchool Big of the YearThis new award for 2010 is given as part of BBBSO’s 40th Anniversary, sponsored by Cisco. It is given to a Mentoring InSchool Big who has demonstrated an outstanding level of support, commitment and dedication to his or her BBBSO mentoring relationship.

This year’s recipient is Norm McEwan, Big Brother for 2 years at Our Lady of Fatima School.

Norm was nominated by the school liaison, Beth Dowe, for his dedication to going to the school every Wednesday morning for the last 2 years, through blizzards,

rainstorms, and -30C weather.

Every session, Norm is in excellent humor, greeting everyone he sees with a big smile and an even bigger heart. He genuinely enjoys the Littles that he is paired up with, and is very patient with them. He goes to the gym, to the computer lab and he plays countless games of Trouble, Sorry, and Battleship. He is a truly kind and generous soul.

Norm started off with one Little and during the 2009-2010 school year he took on another. With two Littles, he has begun inquiring about taking on a third. He is a dedicated Big who really wants to help out the Littles that he sees struggling at school.

We would like to congratulate Norm on this well deserved award and thank him for making a BIG difference!

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