Charles D. Berry Foundation
Who is the Charles D. Berry Foundation?
Charles D. ‘Chuck’ Berry began the Charles D. Berry Foundation with the purpose of making the Dayton community better now and in the future. Chuck envisioned the foundation supporting education, healthcare, the arts, and recreational activities, which he believes play a part in making a stronger community. The foundation supports the community through monetary grants. It operates with a team of three trustees, one executive director, one administrative services coordinator and the founder. Organizations can apply for grants through the foundation’s website. Focus areas for grants include arts, community enrichment, education, health & human services. The foundation accepts requests for programs, projects, operating support, and capital campaigns.
How does the Charles D. Berry Foundation Make a Difference in the Miami Valley?
Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley received a grant of $10,000 from the Charles D. Berry Foundation in 2021. The grant helps BBBS Miami Valley to operate Trauma-Informed Mentoring Program.
The Trauma-Informed Mentoring Program provides Bigs and caregivers with the critical training needed to be better equipped to support the child academically and emotionally. Bigs become a consistent source of support for their Littles who are dealing with mental health challenges, offering them the opportunity to practice coping, regulation, and other skills with a safe and trusted adult. Combined with the appropriate training, mentoring programs serve as a primary prevention strategy and significantly reduce the mental health symptoms associated with trauma, anxiety, and depression in youth.
BBBS Miami Valley’s goal is to support the development of healthy youths by addressing their need for positive adult contact. Littles in the program will improve their academic performance, school attendance, educational expectations, school connectedness, social competence, family connectedness, personal conduct, depressive symptoms, emotion regulation, goal setting, and pursuit skills. Littles will also be less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as bullying, substance abuse, and illegal activities.
The organization sought to maintain or improve upon the results of the 2020 Youth and Child Outcomes Survey results: 93% of youth have depressive symptoms that have either improved or not worsened, 80% of youth maintained or improved their academic performance, 89% of youth maintained or increased their educational expectations, 92% of youth have not bullied their peers, 93% of youth maintained or improved their behavior at school, 98% of youth have not used illegal drugs or alcohol, 90% of youth maintained or improved emotion regulation, 93% of youth maintained or improved their social relationships, and 90% of youth maintained or improved their social competence.
BBBS Miami Valley measures the quality of programs using a Child and Youth Outcomes Survey (COS/YOS). Participants complete the survey at the start of their match and again, each year, at the match anniversary.
In addition, Youth Outcomes Development Plans (YODPs) are created to fit each child’s unique needs at the start of the mentoring match. Match Support Specialists use the YODP to encourage and coach the Big, Little, & Family, towards desired outcomes. Staff reviews the plan annually with the match participants to assess the progress made and make any necessary adjustments.
This is just one example of the way the Charles D. Berry foundation is making an impact in the Miami Valley.
“Providing access to quality education, supporting underserved populations, and enjoying meaningful recreational activities and a vibrant arts community will enhance the quality of life for people in our community and make Dayton a better place to live, work, and play now and into the future!” – Charles D. Berry
About Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley
Since 1958, the mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters Miami Valley is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters operates under the belief that inherent in every child is incredible potential. We make meaningful, monitored mentoring matches between adult volunteers (Bigs) and local youth (Littles), ages 7 through 18, across Montgomery, Miami, Greene, and Preble counties. As the leading evidence-based mentoring organization in the Miami Valley, currently serving 344 local youth, we help children realize their full potential and build strong futures.
In addition to one-to-one mentoring, we provide group match activities focused on STEM to build confidence and self-efficacy around science, technology, engineering, and math subjects and to expose them to various related career paths to help break the cycle of generational poverty. We also provide family care packages which include nonperishable food, personal care items and cleaning supplies to the youth who are in most need.
How Can You Get Involved in the Miami Valley?
We are always looking for volunteer mentors to match with youth in the Miami Valley. If you think you would make a great mentor to a child, sign up today!