Thank you for being 100% Invested in Girls!

The Ad Club, the trade association for marketing, advertising and communications in New England, was founded in part to help people working in those sectors build relationships and learn from each other. As such, it was a natural partner for Big Sister Boston. Ad Club President Kathy Kiely has been supporting Big Sister's work with the girls and women of Greater Boston since 2010.

“I grew up having two older sisters who helped shape my life. They listened to my dreams, led by example and kept me honest. Not all little girls are lucky enough to have that kind of support system that is crucial to success,” Kiely said about why she has been a long-time supporter of Big Sister. “There are hard facts that prove a young woman's success is directly tied to having a Big Sister and a support system. Girls with Big Sisters stay in school longer, get better grades, avoid pregnancy and go on to college at a higher rate. There is absolutely no questioning the statistics. If you want girls to succeed in the city of Boston then you need to provide mentorship, time and moral support.”

The Ad Club advocates for its own industry, but Kathy has been a fierce advocate for Big Sister as well. 

In addition to using her creativity to help Big Sister develop its messages, Kathy has also leveraged The Ad Club’s events, like The Women’s Leadership Forum which brings together top female leaders from around the world. By both providing opportunities for staff to attend this annual networking and educational event, and providing a recruitment table at no cost to the organization, Kathy has allowed Big Sister to recruit potential volunteers from a network of talented, dedicated women – exactly the type of women who excel as mentors to Little Sisters.

This year, with the virtual event, Kathy and the Ad Club will be supporting Big Sister with this fundraising challenge. 

“Every year at the event we highlight Big Sister Boston as an example of how we can change the lives of young girls. Boston’s female leadership is second to none and every female leader in the room walks away with a better understanding of how they can participate and make a difference. For women to have a seat at the table, it starts when they are little girls who have someone saving them a chair,” Kiely said.

- The Ad Club