News

Saltchuk honored as Corporate Partner of the Year

February 26, 2015

SEATTLE – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound held its annual Big Breakfast this week, celebrating the relationship between its adult volunteer mentors and the young people they help guide to successful adulthood and honoring its top corporate community partner of the year

At the mentoring organization’s annual Big Breakfast in downtown Seattle, BBBSPS shared the story of two matches as shining examples of the organization’s work to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.

Brianne King, a financial services director for the Orting School District, was matched with her Little Sister, CyCy, when CyCy was 12. King helped guide CyCy through a difficult time early in her high school years. The two bonded over cooking and King was always there to offer support and guidance as CyCy made a courageous move to a new school that allowed her to succeed. CyCy is now 18 and preparing for nursing school. When Eric Olson and Octavio were matched, Octavio was an extremely shy and retiring 9-year-old. To help draw him out, Olson suggested that the two write a book together. When the book was finished, Olson suggested that they publish it, and that Octavio sell it around his neighborhood for a dollar. Later, Octavio suggested that they write yet another book. Olson also worked successfully with Octavio’s mother and teachers to improve his reading and writing. When he returned from summer break, Octavio had improved his reading by several levels and had become more outgoing.

During the Big Breakfast the agency named Brianne King as the 2014 Big Sister of the Year and Eric Olson as the 2014 Big Brother of the Year. This week King and Olson were also named Big Brother and Big Sister of the State of Washington and nominated for the nationwide Big Brother and Big Sister of the Year competition to be named at the Big Brothers Big Sisters National Conference in Philadelphia in June 2015.

“King and Olson are shining examples of the power of one-to-one mentoring in the lives of our Littles.,” said Amy R. Mack, President and CEO. “Working with parents, teachers and their individual case managers they helped their Little’s set and achieve goals putting them on the path to success.”

The organization also honored Saltchuk as its 2014 Corporate Community Partner of the Year. Saltchuk, a diversified transportation company that owns local companies including Foss Maritime, Interstate Distributor, North Star Petroleum and Totem Ocean Trailer Express, has been a long-time supporter of BBBSPS at every level including board leadership, event sponsorship, and employee involvement.  In 2014 Saltchuk invested more than $170,000 in agency programs through sponsorships and a new multi-year grant.  

“We are incredibly grateful for organizations like Saltchuk that value what we do and want to see our work grow and succeed,” said Mack. Simply put Saltchuk is doing all it can do to make Big Brothers Big Sisters programs available for children facing adversity in the Puget Sound community.”