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Turning success into help for others 4 www.bigsnyc.org Castel and Andrew Castel was seven years old when he was matched with his Big Brother Andrew back in 1992. His parents divorced when he was four, and he was surrounded by a lot of violence and gangs in his neighborhood. Castel’s mother believed a Big Brother would be a good role model and could expand Castel’s horizons. Twenty years later, Castel and Andrew are still close friends, and Castel attributes his relationship with Andrew to be a primary force behind his success today. “I was flying solo, and Andrew was my partner, the voice of reason, encouraging me.” Castel was selected to attend high school in New Canaan, CT, as part of a program called “A Better Chance,” which helps inner city youth attend suburban high schools. While Castel lived in the program’s home in Connecticut, Andrew visited him on weekends, took him to visit colleges and on snowboarding trips. As a result, Castel went on to attend University of Denver, which had both a good business program and access to snowboarding. A vision for success Castel wanted to be a pilot, but discovered that he had an eye condition, so his focus turned to finance and marketing. In college he started his own special events company, promoting brands on college campuses. His entrepreneurial talent led to a management job in an eyewear distribution company after graduation. Today he runs his own consulting firm in the eyewear industry, offering services to independent retailers and brands in the U.S. The impact of being in the program has carried through Castel’s life. He works with 141 Eyewear to provide free pairs of glasses to children in need in the U.S. for every frame sold. “It’s unbelievable what a difference good vision makes,” he explains, noting that he helps out at this company’s events providing vision screenings and free glasses to children in need. He hopes to one day find the resources to bring this program to BBBS of NYC, providing free glasses to Littles. In addition, Castel serves on the BBBS of NYC Young Professionals Committee (YPC). A two-way street The match experience has also affected Andrew. In his early years as a Big Brother he joined what was known as the Junior Committee, which enabled younger volunteers to interact with the Board. During that time Andrew, along with other committee members, created the first Gridiron Games, which has gone on to be one of the organizations most popular and successful annual events. That committee eventually became the YPC, on which Castel now serves — an irony not lost on either of these men. Andrew says that his match experience with Castel taught him the importance of mentoring, and as a global real estate executive, he continues to provide guidance and encouragement to interns, and to mentor those working their way up the ranks. Both Castel and Andrew stay in touch on a regular basis, and have a great degree of respect and admiration for each other — not only in their personal success, but in the way they have taken their experience together and allowed it to permeate other aspects of their professional life. Castel, Little “I was flying solo, and Andrew was my partner, the voice of reason, encouraging me.”
An unlikely duo Jose and Ruben When Big Ruben met Little Jose in 1990, they did not appear like a typical match. At age 15, Jose was nearly six feet tall, and Ruben was a full-grown 5'7". Despite their difference in height, the two developed a bond that has lasted 23 years. For their first meeting, they went to a nearby restaurant. At the time, Jose barely spoke and had never ordered for himself. Ruben encouraged him to tell the waitress what he wanted and after Jose ordered for the first time, the rest was history. “I’m fairly introverted myself, and I understood that slowly you can nudge that confidence out,” Ruben explains when describing that first encounter. “Although Jose was very shy, he was a good kid. He attended an underachieving high school in Chelsea, and he needed to be pointed in the right direction,” said Ruben, adding, “I had a similar background, growing up in Brooklyn, but my family was intact and pushed me to succeed, so I wanted to help someone who did not have the incentives that I had.” Becoming independent Over the next few years, Ruben helped Jose see the world beyond his neighborhood, and encouraged him to apply to colleges outside the city, taking him to many open houses. Jose eventually decided to attend City College so he could stay close to his single mother, but upon graduation was offered a job as a video editor at ESPN in Bristol, CT. The offer meant relocating, and Ruben drove Jose to see the corporate campus, look at apartments, and relocate. Unfortunately, Jose’s mother became ill and he made the difficult decision to return back to the city to be close to her. He asked Ruben for advice, and he told Jose “to follow his heart and do what he needed to do.” Back in New York, Jose secured a good job, and eventually moved out on his own. Ruben helped him find an apartment, learn to manage a budget and become independent. When Jose met the woman he eventually married, he took her to meet Ruben, explaining that if he didn’t approve of his choice, it was a deal-breaker. Fortunately Ruben thought she was a keeper, and now Jose is married (Ruben was his best man at the wedding) with a young son of his own. Ruben is also now married with three children and despite their busy lives, the two remain in touch regularly. Paying it forward Today the power of their match experience impacts both of their lives. Jose’s mother remarried and now has a stepson in high school who, like Jose so many years ago, doesn’t seem motivated to go to college or venture beyond the neighborhood. Jose is taking on a mentor role with his stepbrother, helping him study for the SATs, taking him to college open houses, and helping him through the process, just as Ruben did for him. “I owe Ruben so much,” admits Jose. “He turned a shy chubby kid into a man, a father and a provider. I want to instill the same values in my stepbrother.” Ruben is also changed by his match experience. “I’m a huge believer in the program and its positive impact that goes beyond our own connection,” he proclaims. To that end, he is an active presenter at BBBS of NYC volunteer recruitment events, telling potential new Bigs about his experience in the program. “I would hope this helps me have an impact on other recruits,” he explains. In addition, Ruben and his family run in the Race for the Kids, spreading the word about the program to friends and colleagues who sponsor them. Jose, Little “I owe Ruben so much. He turned a shy chubby kid into a man, father and provider.” 5
Page 1 and 2: One Big. One Little. Citywide Impac
Page 3 and 4: Impacting the wider community For 1
Page 5: Focusing on the future Amanda and L
Page 9 and 10: A natural connection Cyon and Benja
Page 11 and 12: Scoring a touchdown Moses and James
Page 13 and 14: Expanding BBBS of NYC’s citywide
Page 15 and 16: YOUNG PROFESSIONALS COMMITTEE The Y
Page 17 and 18: “First I would like to say that w
Page 19 and 20: As a donor-supported volunteer orga
Page 21 and 22: makes our programs & services possi
Page 23 and 24: Gensler The Glickenhaus Foundation
Page 25 and 26: Board Members Officers Laura Parson
Page 27 and 28: Red Line indicates pocket RED LINE

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