The agency is recognized for outstanding team leadership in providing 1-to-1 mentoring programming for local youth

Atlanta, GA – Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson, & Union Counties (BBBSEHU) has been recognized as a Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) Pinnacle Award Winner for program excellence in 2025. Out of more than 230 agencies across the country, BBBSEHU is one of 5 organizations to receive this top honor.

The honor was bestowed as BBBSA kicked off its annual national conference in Atlanta, featuring notable speakers like human rights activist Martin Luther King, III, Arthur Blank (Atlanta Falcons
owner), and William R. Johnson (Chairman of UPS). Every year, the BBBSA Nationwide Leadership Council, made up of local agency leaders and board members, selects agencies for impact and
excellence in the organization’s signature 1-to-1 youth mentoring program.

“This award reflects the long-term commitment of our entire community - staff, board, and the volunteers who become a champion in each child's life,” said Carlos Lejnieks, president and CEO of the Newark-based agency. “For us, this has always been a life thing, not a job thing, and sustaining excellence year after year takes that kind of dedication. Our focus remains where it has been since 2008: manifesting the potential of our young people across Essex, Hudson, and Union Counties and ensuring every Little has a ‘constant’ they can count on. We're honored to be recognized, and even more committed to the work ahead.”

Locally, BBBSEHU boasts 96% high school graduation rates and a 91% 12-month retention rate, which correlates with positive youth outcomes. “Longer, stronger mentoring relationships drive impact. This is what makes the work hard but deeply rewarding,” Lejnieks proclaimed.

For over 120 years, BBBSA has been dedicated to advancing impact and growth across the organization, making a lasting impact on the lives of young people. Today, the organization creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships, helping build self-confidence and emotional well-being and empowering young people on a path to graduate with a plan for their futures and a mentor whose impact can last a lifetime.

"Achieving lasting excellence in mentorship requires foresight, commitment, and a steadfast dedication to the young people we serve," said Artis Stevens, President and CEO of BBBSA. "Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson, & Union Counties hasn't just raised the bar for impact and growth — they've maintained that standard consistently, year after year. Their continued achievements speak to the power of mentorship's ability to transform lives and a tireless pursuit of better futures for the young people in their care. We are proud to honor their leadership and the enduring mark they've made on communities across the country.”

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About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson, & Union Counties, NJ
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson, & Union Counties, NJ, creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth, and is a credible social justice organization embedded in our community. Founded in 2008, the local affiliate is a nationally recognized leader for its public-private partnerships and delivery of a culturally responsive continuum of services rooted in each youth’s one-to-one mentoring relationship with an adult volunteer. Local agency youth achieve an average four-year high school graduation rate of 96%, 20 percentage points higher than the communities it serves. An affiliate of the national organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson, and Union Counties, has served nearly 5,000 youth since its inception in 2008. Learn more at http://www.BigsandKids.org or follow the local agency on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Founded in 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the largest and most experienced youth mentoring organization in the United States. The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters’ evidence-based approach is designed to create positive youth outcomes, including educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and improved relationships. Big Brothers Big Sisters has over 230 local agencies serving more than 5,000 communities across all 50 states. For more information, visit: bbbs.org.