Camarillo, CA – Studies have shown youth in Big Brothers Big Sisters programs show improvements in academic, behavioral and socio-emotional outcomes. 83% of children involved in the program agree that having a Big Brother or Big Sister mentor instilled in them positive guiding values and principles. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County will now be able to increase investment in its after-school program, thanks to employees of the Oxnard Monsanto site who nominated the organization for a $20,000 grant.

Big Brothers Big Sisters, the largest donor and volunteer supported youth mentoring organization in the United States, is recognized as the #1 non-profit working with at-risk youth. The organization provides meaningful, professionally supported matches between adult volunteer mentors, called Bigs, and children, called Littles, in Ventura County and neighboring communities.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County will utilize the grant to expand its after-school mentoring program to include more children in the city of Santa Paula, California. The organization serves 1,500 kids and teens through Ventura County by providing quality mentoring programs and services to help youth achieve their full potential in school, work, and life.

Luciano Garza, Director Global NAFTA Manufacturing, said “Monsanto values the opportunity to help communities in which it is involved.” Eduardo Flores, Plant Operations Lead, added, “Monsanto congratulates the mentoring programs of Big Brothers Big Sisters because its mission and vision resonated strongly with our Monsanto Community Outreach Team. Our employees at Monsanto are honored to support these endeavors.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters visited the Oxnard Monsanto site and shared its mission with employees. The mission resonated with Monsanto employees and many became Bigs.

“I’m proud that the Monsanto Fund cares to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County, an organization that has made a significant impact on my life by supporting children in our community,” said Mike Douglas, Monsanto representative and last year’s BBSVC Presidential Volunteer Service Award winner.

The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, presented the $20,000 grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County at their county headquarters in Camarillo.

“We are so grateful to the Monsanto Fund for its generous investment in our award-winning mentoring programs that are improving the lives of our children for the better forever,” said Lynne West, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County. “The Monsanto employees see first-hand the importance of providing a mentor, which for many will mean the difference between a life of gangs, drugs and violence to one of unlimited opportunity.”

This year, the Monsanto Fund awarded 100 site grants to nonprofit organizations in 26 states. In California alone, six site grants were awarded that totaled $116,200. The Monsanto Fund continues to provide support to organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, to help strengthen communities where farmers and Monsanto employees live and work.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County
For more than 100 years nationally and 43 locally, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, professionally supported matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people. Learn how you can positively impact a child’s life, donate, or volunteer at www.bbsvc.org or call 805-484-2282.

About the Monsanto Fund
The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of the Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the farm communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org.