‘Big Appreciation Night’ Honors Atlanta Area Volunteers

By BBBS of Atlanta | March 22, 2024

This February 23rd, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta celebrated the 2023 Bigs and Littles of the Year at Big Appreciation Night. The award winners were chosen from over 1,300 Big and Little matches across 12 metro counties in honor of their extraordinary commitment to one another and the mission of BBBS.

Once matched, Bigs and Littles ignite the promise and power of youth through lifelong connections and friendships. In addition to BBBSMA’s one-to-one mentoring process, the agency has found success through its most recent programs, Level Up (LU) and Beyond School Walls (BSW), that continue to positively impact the Metro Atlanta area.

The process for Big Appreciation Night works like this: Bigs and Littles, along with their parent or guardian, submit nominations for the honor. In the same way that Bigs inspire Littles with their kind, mentoring hearts, Littles inspire Bigs through their passion and determination. This event allows the agency to spotlight the inspiring work of Bigs and Littles across the Metro Atlanta area. A review panel of BBBSMA staff selects a Big Brother/Little Brother match and a Big Sister/Little Sister match as honorees, highlighting their relationships at the event.

Throughout the year, Bigs and Littles participate in many exciting agency events, including the upcoming Fashion Play and the Legacy Awards Gala.

Sponsored by Steelcase, and Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Big Appreciation Night took place at the Steelcase Worklife Center Showroom in Atlanta, Georgia.

This year, 16 individuals were acknowledged for Big Appreciation Night.

  • 2024 Rookie of the Year: Kaushal Amin
  • 2024 Defender of Potential: Sylvia Zenteno-Booker
  • 2024 Big Challenge Champion: Mike Milero
  • 2024 Champion of Potential: Zeke Woodruff
  • 2024 Big Impact Site Based: Matt Gonsalves
  • 2024 Big Advocate School Personnel of the Year: Tracy Harris
  • 2024 Game Changers Award: James Ford
  • 2024 Level Up Match of the Year: Quantavis Tilley and Cassion Brown
  • 2024 Couple Match of the Year: John MacFarland, Jan Thrapp and Tavaris Howard
  • 2024 Big Sister – Little Sister Match of the Year: Kimberly Lewis and Shalea Marshall
  • 2024 Big Brother – Little Brother Match of the Year: Karl Simon and Kene Arinze

Big Appreciation Night continues to serve as a reminder of the agency’s mission, inspiring those in the Metro Atlanta community. It takes Little to be Big!

Posted in Events