PBS Reno Announces Successful Better Together Challenge
This is the fifth successful Better Together Challenge from PBS Reno!
RENO, NV (JAN 9, 2026) – PBS Reno is thrilled to announce the record-breaking results of its 2025/2026 Better Together Challenge.
The challenge was straightforward: Whittier Trust would provide $10,000 to PBS Reno and $10,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada if PBS Reno received 200 donations from new or renewing members between Thanksgiving 2025 and January 1, 2026.
The support was tremendous: PBS Reno received 1,008 donations from new and renewing members – beating its goal by more than 800 donations!
“Whittier Trust is proud to celebrate the success of the Better Together Challenge with PBS Reno and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada,” said Dean Byrne, Executive Vice President and Nevada Regional Manager at Whittier Trust. “Exceeding the goal allows both organizations to expand their impact for local children and families. This achievement reflects the strength of our community and its commitment to investing in their futures. It’s an honor for Whittier Trust to support organizations that inspire learning, connection, and lasting impact in the communities we call home.”
PBS Reno plans to put the $10,000 gift toward its Curiosity Classroom workshops – PBS Reno’s hallmark education program that is completely free to all students and teachers in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California. Throughout the school year, a team of 50+ facilitators – comprised primarily of retired professional teachers – deliver nearly 7,000 in-class, hands-on and STEM-based Curiosity Classroom workshops to 128,000+ students in schools across nine school districts.
“Reaching this goal is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when our community comes together,” said Emma Glenn, PBS Reno Vice President of Development. “We are deeply grateful to everyone who stepped up through the Better Together Challenge, strengthening both PBS Reno and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada. This generosity doesn’t just meet a goal; it deepens our shared impact and reflects a community that truly believes in lifting one another up.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada plans to utilize its $10,000 gift for the Big Futures and High School Bigs Program. Big Futures empowers high school students to dream big, set goals, and take tangible steps toward success after high school graduation. Each month, students and their mentors participate in engaging sessions and hands-on experiences, including campus tours, career exploration workshops, and workforce readiness activities. Through High School Bigs, dedicated high school students (Bigs) are matched with younger students (Littles) in a classroom setting. Bigs get the chance to become powerful role models, while Littles receive a glimpse into their potential.
“We are incredibly grateful to PBS Reno and Whittier Trust for selecting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada as a Better Together partner and for believing in the power of mentorship,” said Derek Beauvais, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada. “This $10,000 investment will directly support youth in our community by expanding access to consistent, caring mentors. When organizations come together like this, the ripple effect for kids and families is truly powerful.”
This is the fifth successful Better Together Challenge from PBS Reno. Since 2020, the five campaigns have resulted in a total of $50,000 for PBS Reno and $10,000 to each of the following organizations:
January 2026
Whittier Trust provided $10,000 to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada
January 2024
NV Energy Foundation provided $10,000 to Communities In Schools (CIS) of Western Nevada
January 2022
Raley’s O-N-E Market provided $10,000 to The Children’s Cabinet
January 2021
Nevada Gold Mines provided $10,000 to Eddy House
June 2020
Nell J. Redfield Foundation provided $10,000 to Food Bank of Northern Nevada
About PBS Reno
In fiscal year 2024-2025, PBS Reno reached 592,189 monthly viewers in northern and central Nevada and northeastern California across several platforms including three broadcast channels (PBS Reno 5.1, Reno Create 5.2, and PBS KIDS on PBS Reno 5.3), a YouTube channel, YouTube TV, online, livestreams, and digital platforms. PBS Reno provides PBS national programming and award-earning, locally-produced content, with many local segments posted weekly to PBS Reno’s YouTube channel. PBSReno.org provides engaging interactive content, including the video portal at watch.PBSReno.org that streams all locally-produced content and most PBS national content. PBS Reno serves students, teachers, parents and caregivers through immersive educational services including Curiosity Classroom workshops that bring classroom lessons to life with standards-based lessons and activities. Through the support of local corporations and foundations, as well as thousands of individual members, PBS Reno has been delivering public television and educational services to the communities it serves since September 29, 1983.
About Whittier Trust
Collectively, Whittier Trust Company and The Whittier Trust Company of Nevada, Inc. (referred to herein individually and collectively as "Whittier Trust") are state-chartered trust companies wholly owned by Whittier Holdings, Inc. ("WHI"), a closely held holding company. As the oldest multi-family office headquartered on the West Coast, Whittier Trust isn't just a financial institution; it's a trusted partner with a long, rich history of successfully navigating the financial markets to preserve, protect, and enhance its clients' wealth and well-being across generations. Whittier Trust operates with the singular focus of providing holistic, top-tier client service and highly personalized investment solutions to ultra-high-net-worth individuals and their families, designed to advance and secure their long-term financial legacies and goals. The firm has offices in Pasadena, Menlo Park, Newport Beach, San Diego, San Francisco, West Los Angeles, Reno, Seattle, and Portland. To learn more, visit whittiertrust.com.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada (BBBSNN) is driven by the belief that every single child holds limitless potential waiting to be unleashed. Our mission is to meet that promise with the unwavering support of a one-to-one mentor. We don't just create these connections, we cultivate life-changing relationships that transform a child's entire trajectory. Our vision is to champion the future of our community through these relationships. Relationships that provide the stability, personalized guidance, and crucial social support that no program alone can deliver. When a dedicated mentor shows up consistently, they don't just offer advice, they help unlock a future by giving a child the courage to define their own path to success. When you stand with BBBSNN, you are directly investing in the potential of our youth that will define our community's future.
Contact us:
Membership Questions: membership@pbsreno.org
Programming Hotline: programming@pbsreno.org
Phone: 775.600.0555
Address: 1670 N. Virginia St. • Reno NV 89503