PBS Reno Launches 2025 Better Together Challenge
Become a member of PBS Reno by calling 775.600.0550 or by visiting pbsreno.org

RENO, NV (NOV 28, 2025) – PBS Reno is thrilled to launch its fifth Better Together Challenge designed to uplift two local nonprofits with similar missions to provide important services to local children and families.

When 200 or more people join or renew their membership to PBS Reno between today and January 1, 2026, Whittier Trust will provide a generous gift of $10,000 each to PBS Reno and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada.

“Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada is honored to be selected as this year’s featured nonprofit for PBS Reno’s Better Together Challenge,” said Derek Beauvais, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada. “Our mission is to ignite the power and promise of youth through mentorship. Partnerships like this one—with PBS Reno and Whittier Trust—help to ensure that every child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. This collaboration not only strengthens awareness for our work but also celebrates the spirit of community that makes northern Nevada such a special place to live and give. We truly are better together.”

“Our community continues to show up for PBS Reno in the most meaningful ways,” said Emma Glenn, PBS Reno Vice President of Development. “Through the Better Together Challenge, every new or renewed membership brings us one step closer to unlocking Whittier Trust’s $10,000 gift, which will directly support our Curiosity Classroom program. This funding helps us provide hands-on workshops that spark curiosity and build foundational skills in STEM subjects like robotics, coding, financial literacy and more to students across northern Nevada. We truly couldn’t do this work without the generosity and commitment of this community.”

PBS Reno Curiosity Classroom workshops are PBS Reno’s hallmark service 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 workshops to 120,000+ students in schools in nine school districts, including many schools in rural counties where outside education resources are limited. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada plans to infuse the $10,000 gift into its 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.

“Whittier Trust is honored to partner with PBS Reno for the Better Together Challenge, supporting PBS Reno and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada—two organizations that share our commitment to education, mentorship, and stronger communities,” said Dean Byrne, Executive Vice President and Nevada Regional Manager at Whittier Trust. “At Whittier Trust, we believe legacy extends beyond wealth—it’s about creating a meaningful and lasting impact in the world around us. For more than 70 years, we’ve been privileged to help clients and team members bring their philanthropic visions to life, and we’re proud to continue that tradition through this partnership. By supporting these organizations that educate, inspire, and empower, we’re helping to build a brighter, more connected future for generations to come.”

You can become a member of PBS Reno by calling 775.600.0550 or by visiting pbsreno.org. Donation options include contributing a single, larger gift; or, breaking up a gift into smaller, more manageable gifts as a monthly sustainer. Either option provides a steady and reliable source of financial support throughout the year.

This is the fifth Better Together Challenge from PBS Reno. The first four campaigns successfully resulted in $40,000 for PBS Reno and $10,000 to each of the following:

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