RESPONDING
T O T R A G E D Y:
HURRICANE
S A N DY
“I learned from a victim that the
littlest of things have the biggest
of impacts.”
— Jediah Zuraw-Friedland, Mishpacha BBYO, BBYO Connecticut
TA K I N G A
S TA N D :
T H E B U L LY
PROJECT
“I’m not going to quit until
bullying does.”
—Kirk Smalley, BBYO Eastern Region program
guest, featured in film
In June, BBYO teens from across the world
BBYO teens across North America continue
came together at the BBYO Stand UP and
to work on making their communities
Rebuild Issue Summit to help families and
inclusive spaces for all teens. BBYO Eastern
restore communities still suffering from
Region focused its community’s attention
the effects of Hurricane Sandy. On Staten
on bullying by hosting a showing of the
Island, one group beautified a community’s
powerful film The Bully Project. Sharing
residential area, while other groups worked
his painful first-hand knowledge of the topic
on a sustainable greenhouse, sorted clothes
was the event’s guest speaker Kirk Smalley,
and distributed food. BBYO member Marla
featured in the film, whose son committed
Friedson spoke for many when she said,
suicide after being bullied. Eastern Region
“I realized that to help these people get
opened the program to the community at
back on their feet, they needed to feel like
large. Guidance counselors and principals
they were back home, not living at the
from local schools attended, as did the
site of the storm. That’s what we did — we
Virginia Beach police department. The
made their community look like home.”
program was so successful, a local private
school is duplicating it for the school’s
own parents and teens.
BBYO FY 2013 Annual Report
5