Big Brothers Big Sisters of King, Pierce and Jefferson Counties (BBBSK) is an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the largest mentoring organization in the United States. BBBS facilitates mentoring relationships between children who want and need mentors, and adult volunteers. BBBS strives to present the mentors (called 'Bigs') and children (called 'Littles') with opportunities for learning, growth and exploration in the local community.

To learn more about these non-profit organizations, please visit:
Local BBBS Web site - http://www.bigsandlittles.org/
BBBS of America Web site - http://www.bbbsa.org/

The Cool Card program is an annual program started in 2006 that gives Bigs and Littles a special card that provides free or discount offers at participating businesses in King and Pierce counties.

In the community-based program of BBBS, Bigs and Littles meet three or four times a month to spend time together exploring the community, participating or viewing sports, going to museums, getting ice cream or pizza, and much more. By design, the Bigs and Littles are responsible for paying their own way. While several activities are free, just as many come at a cost which can be limiting or prohibitive. The Cool Card aims to remove cost-related barriers, ultimately making more activities and broader experiences accessible to Bigs and Littles for their time spent together.

The Cool Card program is endorsed and supported by the BBBS, and led by the vision and hard work of Scott Jones - a local businessman, active Big Brother, and volunteer.

Select children-friendly businesses in King, Pierce and Jefferson Counties are being asked to provide a special discount or free offer for the products and/or services they sell.

Offer examples include but are not limited to:

• Buy one, get one free (eg; 2-for-1)
• Percentage off (eg; 25% off)
• Freebie (eg; free X when you buy Y; free membership; 1 free game; etc.)
• And others!

The Cool Card will be a business-card size card given to all currently matched Bigs and Littles participating in the BBBS community-based program: 1,000 matches x 2 participants = approximately 2,000 total cards.

The Cool Card is meant to be used by Bigs and Littles during their time together. Each Cool Card will be signed by both the Big and Little, and both the Big and Little must be present to take advantage of the offer(s) provided by each participating business.

Businesses that provide a special offer for the Cool Card program will receive several benefits from their participation:

• New prospects and loyal customers eager to explore their business
• A clear connection with a local program that 88% of Americans recognize and associate with beneficial work with children
• Tangible indicators that clearly demonstrate their position in the community as a good corporate citizen, including:
• A copy of the Cool Card and accompanying materials
• A placard and other collateral to display at their place of businesses
• Acknowledgment on the BBBS Web site, Newsletters, and Annual report
• Potential inclusion in public relation outreach efforts to local media outlets

We are asking participating businesses to make a minimum one (1) year commitment to the Cool Card program, keeping their offers for Bigs and Littles valid for at least one (1) full year. The Cool Card program is designed to be an annual program in which participating businesses will be asked on an annual basis whether or not they want to commit to an additional year.

Over two-hundred (200) select businesses in King, Pierce and Jefferson Counties are being asked to participate in the Cool Card program.

The 2007-2008 Cool Cards are now available! To get yours, please contact your Match Support Specialist.

Businesses that already support the BBBS program are encouraged to participate in the Cool Card program, absolutely! The Cool Card program presents a great incremental opportunity to support BBBS, and presents a new opportunity for businesses that do not currently donate to BBBS to support this well-known non-profit mentoring program that beneficially impacts the lives of youth in our community.

No. Because no cash, product or service of value is being exchanged between the participating businesses and the BBBS organization, participation in the Cool Card program is not tax deductible.

The Cool Card program is designed to be of zero-cost to the BBBS organization. However, there are costs to make the Cool Card program a reality. These costs include those related to soliciting businesses' participation, printing of program materials, and mailing the Cool Card to Bigs and Littles. To underwrite these costs, we are asking for donations from local businesses to support the Cool Card program - whether it be cash donations, services in-kind, or discounted rates (eg; reduced printing costs).

Businesses are formally invited each year from March-May. However, we will gladly accept any offer throughout the course of the year - adding any new offers to this Web site as they come in. Businesses that miss the original sign-up period likely will not be included in the printed pamphlet for that year, but their offer and logo will be included for the following year should they choose to make their offer available for that time period.

Participating businesses are asked to complete a simple registration process outlined below:

1. Review program materials online or in printed form.
2. Decide what to offer.
3. Fill-out the Cool Card Participation Form online at http://www.bigscoolcard.org or email offer to participants@bigscoolcard.org
4. Complete and submit a simple offer agreement.

Participating businesses will receive a Cool Card Participation Packet that includes a sample of the Cool Card and accompanying Cool Card Pamphlet, a placard and/or window placard for display, a letter that explains how the program works for employees of participating businesses, and a formal thank you from BBBS.

More information about the Cool Card program can be found online at http://www.bigscoolcard.org/.