West Hartford resident assists with $10,000 doantion to Nutmeg Big Brothers, Big Sisters

The ABB Foundation has donated $10,000 to Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, Connecticut's premier youth mentoring organization. The donation was initiated by Donell Jackson, who has been a "Big Brother" (adult mentor) with Nutmeg since 2006. Donell is a friend, role model and sounding board to John, a 14-year-old boy from Hartford. Donell, a West Hartford resident, is an Environmental Compliance Project Manager at ABB in Windsor.

"I was told about the availability of company funding from Trish Kelly, a co-worker of mine at ABB," said Jackson. "I immediately filled out the necessary paperwork because I know from firsthand experience as a Big Brother just how much the mentoring services Nutmeg provides help children, families and communities across the state."

"We applaud Donell Jackson's great service as a Big Brother," said West Hartford's Andy Fleischmann, President and CEO of Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters. "And we are very grateful that he took the initiative and found corporate funding available, and recommended that the children in need who Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters serves benefit from it. Thanks to his efforts and the generosity of the ABB Foundation, many disadvantaged children in our service area will have the opportunity to participate in life-changing matches with caring, inspirational adults – people like Donell Jackson."

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group operates in around 100 countries and employs approximately 145,000 people, including about 100 people in Connecticut.

The ABB Foundation was established in 2005. Its mission is to help improve the quality of life in the communities in which ABB employees live and work by funding local programs that promote education, culture, arts, health and welfare. The Foundation has also played a part in disaster relief efforts, collecting funds for the disaster relief efforts after the tsunami in the Indian Ocean, Hurricane Katrina and the earthquake in Haiti.

Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters is an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the longest established mentoring organization in the world – founded in 1904. It helps children from single and no-parent homes avoid negative behaviors and reach their highest potential. Nutmeg does this by creating and maintaining one-on-one relationships between children in need and professionally-screened, inspirational adult volunteers. Based in Hartford, Nutmeg was founded in 1966. It's funded, in part, by United Way organizations. It serves thousands of children in 111 of the state's 169 municipalities. Help Nutmeg save young lives by volunteering, donating or partnering with us. Like Nutmeg on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/NBBBS. Follow Nutmeg on Twitter: http://twitter.com/BBBSNutmeg. Visit Nutmeg's website: www.nutmegbigbrothersbigsisters.org.

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