We just rolled out a new and improved Match Partners website! This site highlights the awesome discounts that our local business partners are offering to our matches, as well as other ways to get involved. Check out all of the great activity ideas for your Match here! Here are two of our awesome Match Partners!

The application for scholarships for Fall 2024 semester is now open. Thanks to the generosity of the Federated Challenge, BBBS of Central Minnesota is offering a scholarship for up to $5,000 for students to attend a non-four year education that focuses on obtaining an apprenticeship, certificate or associate’s degree. The deadline to apply is Sunday, March 24. The winner will be notified by April 17. The winner and their family will be invited to our Big Celebration on April 24 to receive the scholarship. Please click here eligibility requirements and application details.

Interested students may fill out the online application individually, but are encouraged to contact Ann Matvick, Program Director, at Ann@BigDefenders.org or 320-258-4517 for assistance with filling out the application and with any questions.

BriAnna's family honors her memory by awarding a current/past Little or High School Big with a $500 scholarship to a college of their choice. The deadline to apply for a scholarship for Fall 2024 is Sunday, March 24. The winner will be notified by April 17. The winner and their family will be invited to our Big Celebration on April 24 to receive the scholarship. Please click here for eligibility requirements and application details.

If you have any questions please contact Ann Matvick at 320-258-4517 or Ann@BigDefenders.org.

Thanks to the generosity of past and current Big Brothers Daniel Weidner and Nathan Molitor, two $1,000 scholarship opportunities are available. One scholarship is available to current or former Littles in the BBBS of Central Minnesota program graduating from high school, and another is available to current or former Littles currently attending college. The applicant must have been involved in the program for at least 18 months and be planning to enroll or currently enrolled at a trade, tech or community college or four-year institution. Online applications are due Sunday, March 24. The winner will be notified by April 17. The winner and their family will be invited to our Big Celebration on April 24 to receive the scholarship. Click here to apply or for more details.

Applications for scholarships available through Community Giving are now open. The Community Giving website has 17 pages of scholarships for students from around Central Minnesota and beyond attending both two- and four-year institutions. There are scholarships available for high school seniors heading to college and students currently attending college. Be sure to click on each scholarship to learn more about eligibility, requirements, and scholarship deadlines. Click here for full list of scholarships.

Applications for the Rox Community Foundation - which is administered by the St. Cloud Rox Baseball Club - are now open. The foundation will award 20 individual $1,000 scholarships to senior high school students in the categories of: arts, athletics, automotive, disabilities, education, and volunteerism. Applicants must graduate high school by June 2024 and have applied to a two- or four-year accredited college or university when applying. The deadline to apply is April 12. Click here for complete criteria and to apply.

Free Tax Preparation - Free tax preparation appointments are now open at Tri-CAP. Through the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program, which offers free tax prep by IRS certified volunteers for income-eligible households in Benton, Stearns, and Sherburne Counties, customers can schedule an appointment to get their taxes done for free. Visit this page to schedule an appointment. If scheduling assistance is needed, please call 320-251-1612, option #5.

Candlelight Ski - Head to the Crane Meadows National Wildlife Refuge for a Candlelight Ski. From 5:30-8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, you can ski or snowshoe and explore the wildlife refuge. This event is free, open to everyone, and includes a bonfire and snacks. More information is available here.

Journey Around the World - Join the St. Cloud State Multicultural Student Services department for the 2024 Journey Around the World. The event starts at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24, at the Paramount Theatre in downtown St. Cloud. The event showcases more than 20 cultures from around the world. Tickets are available for purchase on the Paramount website.

Run and Read - Make reading fun for your child - and give them a way to burn off some energy! The St. Cloud Area School District Early Childhood department is hosting a Run and Read event on Saturday, March 16. From 9:30-11:30 a.m., kids ages 1-5 and their parent/guardian are welcome at Quarryview Education Center to run around in the gym and sit in on story time with a licensed early childhood teacher. Kids also get a snack and a book to take home! Registration is not necessary. Quarryview Education Center is located at 800 7th St. S in Waite Park. Call 320-370-8250 for more information.

Marcus Theater Winter Kids Dream Family Fun Series - Stay warm this winter by taking the family to see a movie! Now through March 3, view your favorite family films for just $3. Current movie showings include Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken, Feb. 16-19, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, Feb. 23-25, and Abominable, March 1-3. Click here to buy tickets and to see movie times.

Full Calendar of Events at the Library - If you're looking for something to do on any given day of the week, check out the Great River Regional Library's new and improved calendar of events! From Halloween activities to storytime schedules to special guests, the calendar includes a full list of events from each of the GRRL branches around Central Minnesota. Click here to view the full calendar.

Sherburne County Birthday Party - Sherburne County is turning 168! To celebrate, the Sherburne County History Center is hosting a party - that's free and open to everyone! From 10 a.m.-noon on Saturday, Feb. 24, head to the history center in Becker for cake, games, crafts, and to learn more about Sherburne County History. Learn more here.

Snowy Sundays - Join St. Cloud Park and Rec for Skiing/Sledding/Showshoeing Sundays in 2024! From 1-5 p.m. on Feb. 25, head to Riverside Park for some outdoor fun. A fire will be going and snowshoes can be checked out on a first-come, first-serve basis. Visit the website for full details.

Affordable Connectivity Program -The FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program allows individuals and families to save on their monthly internet bills and potentially qualify for free high-speed internet. Qualification for the program is dependent on household income. Visit the website for full details and to apply.

Calling All Young Riders - A.B.A.T.E. (American Bikers for Awareness, Training, and Education) of Minnesota is looking for youth motorcyclists to join its Young Riders program. This program was created to provide information and activities of interest to young people. Email youngriders@abatemn.org with any questions or check out this website for more info or to apply.

Tri-CAP Help for Families - If you or anyone you know is struggling to fulfil basic needs - transportation, paying bills, finding food, etc. - check out the Tri-CAP website. Tri-CAP (Tri-County Action Program) can provide assistance for basic needs, self sufficiency, building stability and more. Click here for more info.

Stearns History Museum Free for Stearns County Residents - The Stearns History Museum recently announced that throughout 2024, the museum will be free of charge for Stearns County Residents! The museum is celebrating 40 years in its current building in 2024. The free admission does not include paid programs or events. Email executive director Amy Degerstrom with questions or for more details on the free admission policy.

QueerConnect Monthly Meetups - QueerConnect Youth events are designed to help connect people in the LGBTQIA+ community. On the last Monday of every month, local mdidle and high school students are welcome at the Youth QueerConnect Monthly Meetup. The meetup takes place from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Rainbow Wellness building at 601 W St. Germain St. Follow St. Cloud Pride on Facebook or check out the website for more info.

Free Meals for Kids - Free nutritious meals for kids 18 and under are just one click away. Download the Free Meals for Kids mobile app to help families and kids find free meals at schools and other sites around Minnesota. Click here for more information.

It's raffle time again in Central Minnesota! Tickets for the 2024 Big Raffle are on sale now through any BBBS employee or at the agency's office in St. Cloud. Tickets are $10 each and there are 10 cash prizes - including a $1,000 grand prize! The raffle drawing will be held at 5 p.m. Friday, April 12 - winners need not be present to win. Email BBBS, call the main office line at 320-253-1616, or stop by the office at 203 Cooper Ave. N, Suite 162, to purchase your tickets today! The Big Auction runs April 12-19, check out that website here.

BBBS of Central Minnesota recently rolled out a new site highlighting our Match Partners! These partners are local businesses who offer a generous discount to our matches when they show their Match ID cards. The site showcases each partner and is an easy way for matches to check out what fun activity they should do next - or share the site with friends and family to show off all the fun they could have if they were to become a Big! Check out the awesome new site here.

February is Random Act of Kindness Month at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota! All month, our staff is partnering with the Bounce Back Project, and will be handing out kindness cards to our Bigs and Littles at match meetings and activities so that they can do good deeds for family, neighbors, or strangers in their communities! Acts of kindness have been proven to increase generosity and kindness in others and increases happiness in both the person doing the kind act and the person on the receiving end of the kind act. Email Mary@BigDefenders.org if you and your Big/Little want more kindness cards, or to let us know if you've been the recipient of a kind act! Click here to learn more about the Bounce Back Project.

Nominations are open now for the 2024 Growing Up Big Award. This award is given annually to a former Little or High School Big from BBBS of Central Minnesota who is now an adult and doing great things in their community. The award honors BriAnna Kruzel, a former Little and High School Big who passed away unexpectedly in 2013. Nominations for the award are due Sunday, Feb. 25 - click here to nominate a deserving individual.

BBBS of Central Minnesota and the InSports Foundation are teaming up to help get more kids in the game. InSports offers scholarships to kids to help pay for participation, traveling, equipment, and more, so that cost isn't a barrier between youth and sports. Athletes in grades K-12 are eligible to apply, and can apply for a scholarship once a year. Click here to apply or for more info.

Every time you shop, your spare change can help to support local youth! When you sign up today to donate on the BBBS of Central Minnesota website, you can round up every purchase on the credit card of your choosing. Every time you swipe that card, the total is rounded up to the nearest dollar - and that extra change stays right here in Central Minnesota! Your extra change could make a BIG difference to local youth - give it a try!

Have you ever thought about being a Big? Do you know someone who would be a great Big? BBBS of Central Minnesota is looking for 10 mentors to be a part of the Bigs on Campus initiative at St. Cloud State, St. Cloud Tech & Community College, and the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University. Meet with your mentee twice a month for an hour at a time at SCSU, SCTCC, or CSB/SJU and help them get accustomed to life on a college campus! Click here for more information or to sign up to be part of the Bigs on Campus program!

Welcome to a world of fun, learning, and resources - The Little Big Virtual Academy!

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota team has compiled a list of fun and interactive activities and resources for Littles and Bigs to do together (either in-person or virtually). Click here to check it out!

Please visit our BBBS Website to view resources and information for parents/guardians & Bigs including mentoring videos and parenting resources. We also have an extensive listing of community resources including tutors, food and housing assistance, and mental health resources. BigDefenders.org/resources

In addition, we also list past issues of the Big Happenings on our website. Please click here to access past issues.

CareerONE's Summer Youth Program is back June 24-July 25, 2024. In those 19 days, youth between the ages of 14-17 in the St. Cloud Area can work on community projects, earn college credit, learn more about resumes and interviewing, explore different careers, and gain valuable job skills - while earning up to $1,020! The program runs from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. each day. Call 320-308-5320 or email info@csjobs.org for more information or to apply, or check out this website.

If you're interested in a career as a truck driver, check out CDL Discovery Day! On Wednesday, March 20, from 1-4 p.m., head to St. Cloud Technical & Community College for this free informational session. Connect with local trucking employers, learn about CDL requirements and pre-trip inspections, and climb into the driver's seat! This will be in the Administrative Offices & Customized Training Center building at SCTCC. Email Tom.Hickey@CSJobs.org to register or for more information.

Get a jump start on your STEM education with this one-day workshop for girls in grades five through eight! From 8 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, join students from St. Cloud State and the College of Saint Benedict in exploring a wide variety of fun, engaging, interactive workshops that help you explore and learn about the STEM field. Use code UnitedWay24 to waive the $10 registration fee! Click here to register or for more information on program options.

Get Ready is a program that partners with K12 schools, higher education, and community-based organizations to collectively advance access to essential information and resources that help students and families make an informed decision about life after high school. Get Ready commits to the students' progress by devoting resources to support their first year of college success. Learn more about Get Ready and resources available here, or check out their summer camps here.

Do you wish you could do more to support your local community and neighbors? United Way of Central Minnesota has a variety of volunteer opportunities available throughout the area! This website shows volunteer opportunities ranging from working with animal shelters to local youth to working with the elderly at local care facilities. Check it out and start giving back to your community!

Are you interested in a career in health care, or just looking to give back to your community? Become a Junior Volunteer at CentraCare! You can learn about career options, meet new people, and gain valuable skills - all while helping patients at the St. Cloud Hospital. Click here for more information or to apply! (Volunteers must be 14 or older.)

If you've got big goals and you're looking for the right job to achieve them, consider joining Career Solutions' Job Club. Job Club meets every Thursday from 10:30 a.m.-Noon and is open to anyone who is job searching. Job seekers must register to attend. Please click here for more information or to register.

Higher Works Collaborative in St. Cloud works to advance the lives and livelihoods of African Americans in Central Minnesota. They offer tutoring and classes to help prepare middle and high schoolers for life after high school. Please click here for more information.

Career Solutions helps Central Minnesota find a job or career that's right for them. The WIOA Young Adult Program can help assess future careers, assess skills and interests and assist with job searches. Please click here for more information.