ABOUT US
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts's (BBBSWM) mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of Youth.
In 2024, BBBS of Franklin County and BBBS of Hampden County (both agencies founded in 1967) merged to become BBBSWM. In addition, the agency also serves all of Berkshire County as well as the towns of Granby, MA and South Hadley. One of approximately 250 affiliates of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA), meeting all required standards and procedures for full member status, BBBSWM is an independent 501C3 responsible for all fundraising, marketing, and administration locally.
For those looking to connect with services in Hampshire County, you can contact Center for Human Development's Big Brothers Big Sisters Program at (413) 478-8647 or via email at bbbshc@chd.org.
We’re always looking for people eager to positively impact a child and improve their community at the same time. Big Brothers especially are in high demand.
For a few hours, a couple times a month, you can give a Little the invaluable gift of your friendship. By simply changing their perspective of what the world can offer, you can literally start changing their life. Play a board game. Make fun crafts. Hit the playground together. Just as your options are unlimited, so is your Little’s potential.
It all starts with the right role models. And Big Brothers Big Sisters is the place to start a relationship with one. For over 100 years, due in large part to private donations, we’ve been able to recruit, screen, match and support mentoring relationships that have changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of young people across the country — one Little at a time.
You’ll feel the impact as much as your child.
There are many ways to defend potential in our community's youth:
Become a Big
Donate
Participate in fundraising events
Planned giving
Donate goods & clothing through Hartsprings
And so many more!
OUR IMPACT
Public/Private Ventures, an independent Philadelphia-based national research organization, looked at over 950 boys and girls from eight Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies across the country selected for their large size and geographic diversity. This study is widely considered to be foundational to the mentoring field in general and to Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based program in particular.
Approximately half of the children were randomly chosen to be matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister. The others were assigned to a waiting list.
The matched children met with their Big Brothers or Big Sisters about three times a month for an average of one year.
Researchers surveyed both the matched and unmatched children, and their parents on two occasions: when they first applied for a Big Brother or Big Sister, and again 18 months later.
What's New
November 2024
As the holiday season approaches, it’s a great time to reflect on how thankful we are for our amazing community! Behind the scenes here at BBBS, we have a strong…
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.
Read more about A Little Role Model
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.
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.