Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma earns a big national honor
BRIAN KIMBALL
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Published: June 20, 2009
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma got big news this week when the national group named the Oklahoma branch the nation’s best large agency.
There were once five agencies in the state — Norman,
Oklahoma City,
Shawnee,
Stillwater and
Tulsa — but they merged into Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma in 2006, with the corporate office in Tulsa.
Sharla Hall, the agency’s CEO, said the merger played a big role in the agency winning the award.
"It’s tremendous that we’ve gone from five freestanding agencies that really didn’t talk to each other very much, and we merged and built and created a better infrastructure and we’ve gotten to this point very quickly,” Hall said. "It speaks to the professionalism of our staff ... and their sheer passion for serving children in need.”
The criteria for the award include sustained growth in the number of youths served and growth in revenue.
The Oklahoma agency served 2,650 children last year and is on track to serve close to 3,000 this year, Hall said.
Winning the award will help Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma grow and improve service, said
Kelley McGuire, Oklahoma City area director.
"This is further validation that we are a strong organization, that we have a mission that works, that we’re doing the right thing and that we’re doing a good job,” McGuire said. "People want to get a good return on their investment, and having this award is proof for organizations and individuals that we’re an organization that they can partner with and have a good return on their investment.”
To continue growing, the agency will need more funding, Hall said. With more than 800 children on its waiting list, the group eventually will reach a ceiling in terms of how many children it can serve under current funding.
"I really see (our organization) as just another layer of insurance to make sure these kids have what they need to get into adulthood and become happy, healthy and productive citizens,” Hall said.
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