Moving Forward, Together.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America makes a positive difference in the lives of tens of thousands of children across the country.
We do this through the combined efforts and support of all those who share our mission: the hard work of our affiliates; the giving spirit of our Bigs; and generous financial support from the federal government, corporate and foundation partners, and individual donors.
Thanks to this incredible team behind us, Big Brothers Big Sisters was able to serve more than 170,000 children and their families who requested our help last year.
As we move forward, together, we will serve the thousands of children who are eagerly waiting to be matched with a Big. Together, we will change these children’s lives for the better, forever.
It starts with a Little
Our mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported, one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.
For more than 110 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that every child has the inherent ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, we make meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers, referred to as “Bigs,” and children, our “Littles.”
The national office provides important services to a network of more than 300 affiliates across the country, helping them serve the children in their communities. We make a meaningful difference through:
- Governance — We are committed to accountability and expect our network to meet national guidelines and standards.
- Compliance — We set the national standards for child safety, training, and match support.
- Technology — We track, report, and analyze matches through our proprietary software and database.
- Partnerships — We further government, corporate, and foundation partnerships that grow awareness and funding.
- Collaboration — We create and share industry best practices and models that increase the number of lives changed.
- Leadership — We provide the strategic direction to fulfill our mission.
Through our local affiliates, our work impacts youth, ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. By helping children develop supportive relationships with positive role models, we make a direct and lasting impact on their lives.
Littles matched with Bigs are:
less likely to use illegal drugs
27% less likely to use alcohol
52% less likely to skip school
Big Couple Greg and Barbara with Former Little Darryl
Little Jaylin and Big Darryl, Oklahoma
A grateful former Little pays it forward
Like a lot of kids in his neighborhood, Darryl was exposed to things he shouldn’t have witnessed at such a young age – truancy, drug trafficking, and gang violence. His mom worked hard to support her son but could not always be there to protect him.
Big Couple Greg and Barbara with Former Little Darryl
Little Jaylin and Big Darryl, Oklahoma
To keep Darryl on the right path, his mother reached out to BBBS Lone Star, which matched him with a Big Couple, Greg and Barbara. They gave Darryl their time, their encouragement, and their guidance. They took him to baseball games, to the park, and invited him to family dinners. Knowing that Darryl liked math and science, Barbara and Greg suggested he could be an engineer. When Darryl was 10, they showed him the view from their downtown office, and inspired him that, with hard work, he could be successful.
Big Couple Greg and Barbara with Former Little Darryl
Today, Darryl works as a petroleum engineer for an independent oil and gas company. But even more important, he is paying it forward.
As an adult, Darryl became a Big Brother himself and was matched with Jaylin, a child from a similar background. Darryl introduced Jaylin to people and places he might never have known. Jaylin’s social skills started to expand, and he began to focus on academics. Like Darryl, Jaylin will soon graduate from high school with a bright future.
Little Jaylin and Big Darryl, Oklahoma
As Darryl explains, “What Barbara and Greg did for me, I did for Jaylin. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that Jaylin will pay it forward when his opportunity comes.”
“If someone doesn’t put a vision in your life, or take you places you’ve never been, or show you things you’ve never seen, how can you dream any bigger?”
- Darryl, former Little Brother, now Big Brother
explore our 2015 annual report
Our Board Chair’s and President & CEO’s visions for moving us forward.
FinancialsLearn how the funds we raise fuel the dreams of children.
PartnershipsSee how government, foundation, and corporate partners move us forward.
Meet our affiliates – the driving force behind creating brighter futures.
National ConferenceCheck out the thought leaders taking us from “Big to Better to Best.”
Our DonorsRead about those who propel our forward momentum.