JBBBSLA Raises over $460,000 To Support Growing Needs of Underserved LA Youth
The Big Event Fundraiser Shatters Records to Support Needs of Youth Throughout LA
JBBBSLA CEO Cari Uslan with Honorees Manny Flekman, Danielle Pullman, Randy Levine, and JBBBSLA Board President Matt Nelson
Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Los Angeles (JBBBSLA) raised over $460,000 at its annual gala, The Big Event, to support the needs of youth throughout Los Angeles. Hosted at Stephen Wise Temple on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, The Big Event showcased the impact of JBBBSLA’s life-changing programs and honored three outstanding volunteers, Manny Flekman, Danielle Pullman, and Randy Levine, all of whom have made a tremendous difference in the lives of youth.
Funds raised at the event allow JBBBSLA to help even more youth through their four innovative programs: Youth Mentoring for LA’s Jewish youth in need of a mentor; Camp Bob Waldorf, providing overnight camp and retreats for LA’s underserved children and teens; College Access + Success providing professional college guidance and scholarships for former mentees and campers to academically thrive; and the groundbreaking Teen Talk App for teens across the world seeking social and emotional support for mental health challenges and other issues.
The Big Spotlight Honoree Randy Levine and Little Brother Chris Greene
JBBBSLA’s CEO, Cari Uslan, believes The Big Event’s fundraising will help more youth access JBBBSLA’s programming. Uslan shared, “Our amazing Board, staff, and volunteers are stepping up to face today’s challenges. There is no doubt we are serving more youth whose families have struggled to make ends meet and who have undergone painful experiences caused by the last two years of the pandemic. Our programs at JBBBSLA have never been more relevant and we are committed to continuing to work with youth and help them reach their full potential.”
“Before I was matched, my life was very different,” said former Little Brother Alan Karbachinsky. “My parents were divorced, we didn’t have a home, and I struggled with hunger. When I first met my Big Brother Navid, he looked me straight in the eyes and said, ‘It’s going to be okay.’ My Big Brother gave me the support I needed and thanks to a JBBBSLA scholarship, I’m graduating from my dream school, USC. I would not be who I am today without this organization.”
At the Big Event, JBBBSLA presented the Sidney J. Rosenberg Lifetime Achievement Award to Board Member Manny Flekman for his 25 years of commitment to JBBBSLA and his extraordinary leadership on the Camp Committee. Flekman is a Holocaust survivor who fled Germany and eventually made his way to Los Angeles where he has led a life of giving back to the community. JBBBSLA also presented the Big Spotlight Award to two Bigs (mentors), Danielle Pullman and Randy Levine. Pullman is a Big Sister and leader of Disney’s first Jewish employee affinity group and Levine is a Big Brother, an active Board Member, and committed committee member for JBBBSLA’s annual Camp Bob Waldorf Golf Tournament.
JBBBSLA thanks its sponsors for making the Big Event possible, including: The Johnny Carson Foundation, The Flekman Family, Lisa and Bradley Mindlin, Oro Capital Advisors, LLC, The Sigal Family, The Nelson Family – Rabinovitch Foundation, Finance West/National Mortgage Resources, City National Bank, SSI Advanced Post Services, Lola and Ed Zimbler, Ammo Creative, The Silver Family, Nancy and Jonathan Lurie, Tiny Hero, Robert C. Aronoff, Farrah and Mark Weinstein, Lucian and Susan Seifert Charitable Trust, The Levine Family, The Kurzweil Family, Wendy and Gary Leshgold, Mob Scene, Jodi and David Fenton, and the Stanley and Joyce Black Family Foundation. Several Los Angeles-area elected officials attended or sent representatives to the event.
Founded in 1915, JBBBSLA enriches the lives of children through its meaningful programs: Youth Mentoring, Camp Bob Waldorf, College Access + Success, and Teen Talk App. JBBBSLA’s mission is to assist youth in achieving their full potential by providing impactful programs that facilitate lasting relationships and support positive youth development. Each year JBBBSLA serves more than 1,200 youth from a variety of backgrounds, races, religions, and socio-economic status. For more information about the organization or to donate, please visit: www.jbbbsla.org
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