NEWARK, Del.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
This holiday season, Sallie Mae — the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college company — is supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware (BBBS) with a contribution of $50,000 from its charitable foundation, The Sallie Mae Fund. The grant will fund the local nonprofit’s Student Mentorship Program, which provides at-risk students with one-on-one academic support and guidance to increase educational attainment and success.
Specifically, the grant will support the BBBS mentoring partnership in 10 schools throughout New Castle County. Trained mentors schedule weekly visits with students in grades one through 12 to serve as academic coaches as well as friends and positive role models in order to encourage students to achieve their highest potential.
“Sallie Mae’s consistent support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware continues to make a difference, allowing us to reach more students in New Castle County and further academic growth,” said Mary P. Fox, executive director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware. “We are also appreciative to our friends and neighbors at Sallie Mae for their generous donations and contributions to support our local families in need during our 2016 Holiday Appeal.”
As part of the Big Brothers Big Sisters “Holiday Appeal” program, Sallie Mae employee volunteers fulfilled the wish lists of two dozen local families in need. Sallie Mae employees delivered more than 160 boxes full of gifts, including brand new toys, clothing, dishes, and cookware, as well as five bicycles, two microwave ovens, and more than $4,000 in grocery and retail gift cards and cash donations.
“As a Big Brothers Big Sisters board member in Delaware, I’ve seen firsthand how these donations — whether through critical funding for the mentorship program or contributions during the holiday season — make a difference in the lives of those who need them most, right here in our community,” said Matt Sullivan, vice president, Sallie Mae. “I am extremely proud to work for a company that recognizes and embraces the importance of giving back to the communities where employees live and work.”
For more than 50 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware has partnered with adult mentors and role models to provide at-risk children, primarily from single-parent homes, with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-on-one relationships that help them gain self-confidence, realize their potential, and envision happy and successful futures. For more information, or to support the organization’s efforts, visit www.bbbsde.org.
The Sallie Mae Fund supports employee volunteerism and community service in communities where Sallie Mae employees live and work. Sallie Mae has more than 760 employees at its corporate headquarters in Newark.
For more information and free tips on how to save, plan, and pay for college, visit www.salliemae.com.
Sallie Mae (NASDAQ: SLM) is the nation’s saving, planning, and paying for college company. Whether college is a long way off or just around the corner, Sallie Mae offers products that promote responsible personal finance, including private education loans, Upromise rewards, scholarship search, college financial planning tools, and online retail banking. Learn more at SallieMae.com. Commonly known as Sallie Mae, SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States of America.
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