PHOENIX, Arizona - On January 13 CopperPoint Insurance Companies' employee Matthew Tucker, Policy Call Center Rep, received the Big Brother of the Year, Site-Based Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona at its annual volunteer recognition dinner at Rustler's Rooste in Phoenix.
Matthew and his "Little Brother" Daniel, a fifth-grader at Heard, have been matched for two years. "I gained a friend in Daniel. He is such a great kid; he's smart, a bit of a comedian and full of life," despite the issues he has faced.
Nominated by BBBS program manager Monty Begay, Matthew has made a difference in Daniel's life with just a 40-minute lunch each week. Daniel's father was incarcerated when Daniel was little; five years ago his mother left. Daniel now lives with his uncle and several other relatives.
After interviews are conducted at CopperPoint, volunteers are matched with students in first to sixth grade based on shared interests. "Bigs" then commit to seeing their "Littles" once a week, or every other week minimum, to have lunch together and do fun activities. "We had over 20 matches at one point," said Jill Maruca, Community Engagement Coordinator. Jill, a Big Sister for eight years, hopes to grow the volunteer program this year.
"My manager supports me, so it's pretty simple to balance my work responsibilities, since he encourages us to be involved with giving back," Matthew said. A big Brother for 7 years, he added, "If I can fit it in with my job, anyone can."
About CopperPoint Insurance Companies
Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, CopperPoint provides workers compensation insurance coverage to more than 12,000 businesses and their employees; In addition, the company also offers other business insurance products including property and casualty coverage.
As a leading advocate of workplace safety, CopperPoint provides businesses with safety resources. For more information, visit copperpoint.com.
Contact: Judy Schumacher, Vice President
Corporate Communications & Governing Board Services
602.631.2045 | jschumacher@copperpoint.com