Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Ohio Honored with National Awards
For Immediate Release: June 30, 2025
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Ohio Honored with National Awards Including Small Agency of the Year
Lancaster, Ohio– Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Ohio is proud to announce national recognition at the 2025 Big Brothers Big Sisters of America National Conference held in Philadelphia. More than 230 agencies from across the nation attend this yearly conference. The Southeastern Ohio agency was honored with the Platinum Award for Excellence and named Small Agency of the Year.
These prestigious awards highlight BBBSSEO’s commitment to creating and supporting one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth across the region. The Platinum Award signifies top-tier performance in key areas such as match support, recruitment, community engagement, and overall youth impact. With 638 youth served in the region while remodeling its 24,000 square-foot building, the agency’s honor was well-earned.
Courtney Wright, Board President, praised the agency: “These awards reflect years of thoughtful leadership, hard work, and heart. Every team member, mentor, volunteer, donor, and board member has played a role in helping us reach this incredible milestone and we appreciate them all. We are just getting started.”
Adding to the momentum, the agency recently celebrated the launch and success of its newest social-purpose enterprise located within the agency’s space – The Big Book Nook. The store offers gently used books for all ages, affordable reading options and a space for youth to read and learn, with every purchase supporting BBBSSEO programs.
“To be recognized at the national level is incredibly validating for our team, our board, our volunteers, and our community,” said Jolyn Pugh, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southeastern Ohio. “It speaks to the dedication we all share to empowering local youth and building brighter futures. The timing couldn’t be better as we continue to see The Big Book Nook exceed all expectations. It’s a place where stories spark change, and every sale helps us serve more kids”
Adding context to the remarkable achievements of BBBSSEO, Jeff Beard, former board president shared this insight, “When the board made the decision to hire Jolyn as the next director, we were excited about the energy and ideas she was bringing, but her leadership and the organization’s achievements have surpassed even our highest expectations. My fellow board alumni and myself are incredibly proud of everyone who has come together to make this moment happen – and we are excited to see what’s next. Truly the sky is the limit!”
Learn more and to get involved, visit https://www.bbbs-fairfieldoh.org/. For more information about The Big Book Nook, visit https://www.bbbs-fairfieldoh.org/BigBookNook/.
Contact Information:
Jolyn Pugh, Executive Director jpugh@bbbs-fairfieldoh.org , 740-687-9477
Media Contact Information:
Temple Montanez, Multimedia Strategist & Creative Director, temple@krilecommunications.com, 614-915-5439
