BBBSMB Celebrates Successful Fiscal Year 2018

An accomplished financial executive with more than 15 years of experience, James (Jimmy) Ahern leads as managing partner and head of capital markets at Laidlaw & Company. Outside of his work at Laidlaw, James Ahern supports Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay (BBBSMB) and serves as a board member of the organization’s charitable foundation. 

BBBSMB recorded another year of significant achievement in fiscal year 2018 (FY2018), serving more than 3,200 youth and matching nearly 1,200 new children with mentors, representing 19 percent growth from the prior fiscal year. Over FY2018, the organization also raised net operating revenue in the amount of $7.8 million, which it used to expand college-mentoring programs and add the New Bedford region to its service areas. BBBSMB additionally continued its joint initiative with Uber, providing “Bigs” free transportation to meet with their ”Littles” in areas that aren’t readily accessible via public transportation. 

The organization’s progress helped it make significant steps toward its goal of serving 5,000 youth annually. In coming years, BBBSMB will look to raise $40 million in funding from diverse and sustainable sources. To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, visit www.massbaybigs.org.

Benefits of Mentoring for Youth

A financial executive based in New York City, James “Jimmy” Ahern serves as head of capital markets at Laidlaw & Company. In addition to his responsibilities at Laidlaw, James “Jim” Ahern has volunteered with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay, a nonprofit organization providing one-on-one mentoring opportunities for at-risk youth.

There are many benefits of youth mentoring, and some center on academic performance and behavior in school. According to a 2007 study conducted by Kennelly & Monrad, students who keep to regular meetings with their mentors are 37 percent less likely to skip class and 52 percent less likely to skip an entire day of school. In terms of behavior issues, a 2002 study suggested that young children facing an opportunity gap are 55 percent more likely to attend college if they have a mentor supporting them.

The mentoring relationship also has numerous benefits for children outside the classroom. Young people with regular mentors are significantly less likely than their non-mentored peers to start drinking or using illegal drugs. Mentoring makes youth 81 percent more likely to participate in extracurricular activities, which coincides with a major improvement in communication skills and a reduction in the symptoms of depression.