They have the potential to change the world.
And we are standing together to defend it. Join us!
From becoming a mentor, supporting special campaigns and attending fundraising events, there are so many ways you can support Big Brothers Big Sisters as we work to ignite the potential in girls and boys throughout our community!
BIG THINGS ARE HAPPENING
In October 2018, Big Brothers Big Sisters changed our look. We wanted our image to reflect what we know each Big & Little feels - bold, empowered, ignited.
Learn more below about out our urgent message, which is here in western Massachusetts and across the county: all children have potential, but not all children have someone to help them defend that potential.
1 in 3 kids will grow up without a mentor
Our mission is to help children in under-resourced families thrive by providing life-changing, one-to-one relationships with caring adult mentors. With your support, these friendships will enrich the lives of over hundreds of kids in western Massachusetts communities this year.
A Little Role Model
Bigs aren’t the only ones who can be role models. Little Brother Miles is a Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Youth Ambassador and is a role model for LGBTQ youth all over the country. Through having people in his life like his Big Sister Ava, Miles knows the importance of having someone you can look up to and who will be there for you. “Having a person who is a little bit older, who has gone through life, who can see you as a person, and how you identify yourself, having that person is not only validating, it’s comforting,” Miles says.
The Big Jackpot
After the youngest of his two daughters left for college, Eric decided to become a Big. He saw it as the perfect opportunity to get involved in a young man’s life. At the same time, Little Brother Mondre’s mother was looking into getting Mondre a Big Brother. Mondre’s father was not in the picture and she felt he needed a positive male role model in his life. Through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa, Eric and Mondre were soon matched together and soon realized they got what exactly what they were looking for.
Read more about The Big Jackpot
From Missing School to Attending College
Nearly 10 years ago, Little Sister Jasmine was matched with Big Sister Jesse through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City. At the time, attending school was a low priority for Jasmine. If she missed the bus or just didn’t feel like going, she would stay at home. Jesse talked to Jasmine about how important school attendance is, and she even gave Jasmine a ride to school when she missed the bus. Over time, Jasmine began missing fewer and fewer classes, and she began to excel in school. Now, Little Sister Jasmine is a college student with a bright future.
Read more about From Missing School to Attending College
A Match That Lasted Much Longer Than Expected
At a breakfast for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware, a mother stood up and told the crowd about her son and the impact that his Big Brother was having on her son’s life. Future Big Brother Tony sat in the crowd and was moved by her words. “It touched me, and at that moment, I knew I wanted to become a mentor,” he says. Tony decided that he would volunteer for one year, but after meeting Little Brother Nasir and seeing the impact he could have, the match lasted much longer than expected.
Prominent CNBC, WellCare, Facebook, Greenberg Traurig, and Centurion Executives Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Board of Directors
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the nation’s oldest one-to-one mentoring organization, is pleased to announce the addition of five new members to its National Board of Directors.
Overcoming Hurdles
Little Sister Alexis and Big Sister Sheila’s match began with a hurdle. When it was time to meet her Little Sister for the first time, Sheila couldn’t make it–she was trapped inside her house. “I had a 5 to 7 foot drift of snow in my driveway, and no way to get out, and no way to contact Alexis’ mother,” Sheila says. The two didn’t let the hurdle stop them, though. They were able to meet soon after that, and began going to the movies, learning to sew, and reading books to each other at the library. While the match would go on to face more hurdles, each brought them closer and made their match stronger.
A Path Towards a Brighter Future
Little Brother Arual was at a crossroads. He had big dreams about playing sports and earning scholarships, but he was also tempted to give in to peer pressure from the wrong crowd. His mom was determined to find something to pull him onto the path towards a brighter future. “I was so worried that he might get more involved with these kids, that I had trouble staying calm about it,” she says. She enrolled him as a Little through Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Opispo County, and he was matched with Big Brother Jacob. With Jacob’s help, Arual was able to get onto that path towards a brighter future.
