News

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 team of professionals dedicated to the success of each and every match we make. They work hard to prioritize child safety and to meet and exceed the needs of everyone involved in the BBBS program in any capacity.

And bolstering their efforts are all our donors and supporters. Their generosity is what makes possible all the work we do! Positive long-term outcomes for our region’s youth depend on them, and we’re so thankful for their commitment to our community’s children.

And last but certainly not least, thank you to all our Bigs, parents/guardians, and Littles! Without such enthusiastic participation from you, we simply couldn’t fulfill our mission to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

Happy Holidays,
David Beturne, CEO

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Brews Bites & Bids

With the support and generosity of so many brewers, donors, and attendees, this year’s Brews Bites & Bids was a huge success! Thank you so much to everyone who helped to make this happen and for empowering potential in our community’s youth.

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Meet Our Advisory Council

Kim Weir

Where do you work and what is your role there?

I retired from the Connecticut Department of Correction as a Warden in 2017, after serving 27 years.

What inspired you to get involved with BBBS?

BBBS is a wonderful organization that serves young people in our community. I was inspired by their mission, which is to ”create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of Youth.”

What is your vision for the future of BBBS?

My vision for the future of BBBS is to see it increase partnerships and mentors, so that no young person is left unmatched.

My plan for the future of BBBS is to continue to do my part in supporting their mission and vision to expand their impact by reaching more children and making life long connections. I have served as a Big Sister for over 20 years and I am going on my forth Little.

What do you love most about being part of the western MA community?

What I love about being part of the Western MA community is the commitment to service and making a difference in the lives of our young people.

What are some of your hobbies and things you like doing in your free time?

In my free time I love traveling, going to the beach and spending time with family and friends.

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Community Spotlight

Wolf & Company’s support of BBBS goes back over twenty years! Over time, they’ve supported our mission in just about every way possible. Wolf has made major contributions via fundraising event sponsorships, corporate gifts, recruiting Bigs, and having record-level participation in Bowl for Kids’ Sake. They even provide a whole team of volunteers to take on some of the most complex tasks for our annual Brews Bites & Bids event.

Without a doubt, the support and generosity of Wolf & Company has empowered potential in so many of our community’s youth. We couldn’t be more grateful and appreciative of all they do.

Aside from being an amazing community supporter, Wolf & Company is also a great business to partner with for your CPA and advisory needs! They offer a wide range of services, which they can tailor to your unique needs. Click here to learn more.

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New Partnership with M&T Bank

As a new school opens up in Westfield, a brand new BBBS site-based program launches simultaneously! Thanks to the generosity and commitment of M&T Bank, this exciting dream has become a reality.

The Westfield River Elementary School Lunch Buddies program pairs adult volunteers with third, fourth, and fifth graders. Matches will meet once a week to spend time together, talk, and develop a friendship.

Through these matches, the Littles will experience the joy of having a positive, consistent adult in their life. As a result of their time with a Big Brother or Big Sister, the Little’s attitude towards school will improve, and their relationships with peers and family members will become stronger and more positive.

Thank you so much to M&T Bank and to Westfield River Elementary School for helping to make this possible.

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Staff Milestones

This month, we have lots to celebrate with our staff!

November of 2024 marks 10 years for David Beturne (left) in his role as Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, 10 years for Cindy Colangione (center) in her role as Program Director/Chief Program Officer, and 10 years for Lydia Parés-Pacheco (right) with BBBS! Lydia’s current role is Bilingual Program Supervisor.

Thank you so much for your years of service and hard work on behalf of our community’s youth!

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Site-Based Matches

With the school season well underway, so are our site-based programs! Matches meet each week to chat, work on homework, and build on their relationship. As you can see, things are going great!

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“Warm the Children” Winner

One of our Littles recently received a Warm the Children gift card. With this amazing gift, she was able to purchase boots, hat, gloves AND jacket–lots of pink, of course! Truth be told, she did attempt to add some makeup and a toy to the cart, but a quick parental intervention kept things on track.

Thank you for this wonderful program, which really helps ensure our youth stay warm and safe all winter long!

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New November Matches

Western Massachusetts, November 27 2023 – The mentorship agencies of Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) of Franklin County, and BBBS of Hampden County, both founded in 1967 have announced they will merge into one organization. The combined agencies, who will operate under the name BBBS of Western Massachusetts (BBBSWM), will become the largest mentorship org in the region.

Executive Director of Hampden County, David Beturne, who has been acting as Interim Executive Director in Franklin County since April of this year, will lead the new agency. Beturne brings 23 years of experience with BBBS, and plans to maintain all staff at both locations.

“The Franklin County office will remain open with minimal changes,” said Beturne, “We are thrilled and energized about this new partnership and know it will bolster our ability to serve more youth and make a stronger impact across our communities.”

Both agencies have a long history of fostering connections in their respective counties, and plan to grow to serve areas without an established BBBS office. 

“We have plans to expand into Berkshire county, which is an exciting prospect for all of us,” said Beturne.

The merger does not include the Center for Human Development’s BBBS program, which will continue to serve the Hampshire County Area. BBBS of Hampshire County can be reached at (413) 478-8547, or BBBSHC@CHD.org

BBBSWM plans to merge duplicate social media accounts, and can currently be found at the below handles: Facebook, @bbbsfc @BBBSHampden; Instagram, @bbbsfranklincounty @bbbshampdencounty.

BBBS creates connections between children, “Littles” with qualified and vetted mentors (Bigs)  in the community to create fulfilling relationships. BBBS monitors all matches to ensure safety standards are upheld and that the relationship is positive and empowering for the children involved. 

A PDF version of this Press Release is available below:

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. He spoke at the 2017 “Time to Thrive” conference as the youngest of the 15 Youth Ambassadors.

After his speech, kids gathered around him to take photos. “I felt like because I’m a younger kid, that because I’m still going through high school, for the kids that look up to me as a Youth Ambassador, I’m more relatable,” he says.

Having a relatable role model is so important for kids, especially LGBTQ kids, Miles says. Since Miles began his process of coming out at age 11, he’s experienced what a lot of LGBTQ kids experience – kids at school bullied him, and his family struggled to understand him and his identity.

“My whole middle school career was getting bullied every day no matter what,” Miles says.

Miles persisted at school and insisted that he be called the correct name and that students and teachers use he/him/his pronouns. He even advocated for the sex-ed curriculum to be more inclusive of LGBTQ identities.

“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.”

– Little Brother Miles

With his family, Miles still struggles. “I am the first person to come out in my family as queer—the rest of my family is cis and straight, and it’s hard. Nobody in my family understands how hard I have it.”

Miles does have a lot of great adult role models in his life now, including at the Colorado LGTBQ community center Rainbow Alley, through HRC, and his Big Sister, Ava. Ava submitted a recommendation letter for Miles to become a Youth Ambassador and attended HRC’s Time to Thrive conference with him and his mom. Ava was also the one who connected Miles with Rainbow Alley, which gave him a safe space to be himself.

When Ava and Miles were first matched, Miles was just starting his coming out process, and had not identified yet as male. When he first started coming out, he didn’t hesitate to talk to Ava about it. He knew that she accepted him unconditionally, which was something he did not always feel from family and friends.

“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.

Miles and Ava have stayed close through the three years they have been matched, and she says it’s easy to see how he’s grown as a person.

The role of a Big isn’t to provide parenting, she says, but to listen and affirm. “Just be patient and don’t assume things, be curious about their identity, because they probably have enough people telling them who they are and how to be.”

When Miles grows up, he hopes to work as an advocate for LGBTQ people, to continue to be a role model. Because of the work he’s done in coming out and sharing his story, he says, he hopes that what he has gone through will create a safer, more accepting world.

Little Brother Mondre was in fifth grade when his mother looked into getting him a Big Brother through BBBS of Northeast Iowa. Mondre’s father was not in the picture, and she felt he needed a positive male role model in his life.

“We hit the jackpot with Eric,” Mondre’s mother says.

Eric signed up to be a Big after the youngest of his two daughters left for college. He had a lot more time on his hands, and rather than spend it perfecting his golf swing or building a man cave, he decided to get involved in a young man’s life.

“I have come to realize that my life is generally more fulfilling when the focus is on others and not solely on myself,” Eric says.

“Neither one of us are the type that want to sit around and talk about our thoughts and feelings, but through our consistent interaction those do come out.”

– Big Brother Eric

Big Brother Eric and Little Brother Mondre immediately bonded over their shared interest in sports. They played basketball one-on-one, threw darts, and attended sporting events. Eric took Mondre to his first Iowa Hawkeyes football and basketball games.

Eric knew Mondre loved sports, but one of his goals was to expose Mondre to as many other experiences as possible. When he noticed that Mondre was choosing the same restaurant every time they went out to eat, he pushed him to try new places. “We agreed that we would not eat at the same restaurant twice,” Eric says. “That has led us to dozens of different dining experiences – some great, and some not so great, but always a new experience.”

Eric also pushed for Mondre to be exposed to college. Whenever they went to watch the Hawkeyes play, Eric wanted him to have fun, but he also wanted Mondre to be able to picture himself among the students. “I don’t want college to seem like something that is unattainable or outside his world,” Eric says, “but instead, something that he sees others not unlike himself doing and realizes it is something that is possible for him.”

Mondre says creating opportunities to try new restaurants and visit a college campus are only a couple of the things Eric has done for him. He gives Eric credit for showing him how to work out and how to use proper manners. As a lawyer, Eric has also shown Mondre the importance of having a good job. Mondre says that Eric has taught him so much, he could write a book about everything he has learned from his Big Brother.

“He has definitely become more than just a Big Brother,” Mondre says. “He is family to me, and I know that he will always be a part of my life.”

Eric echoes that sentiment, saying that that he started his mentoring journey believing he would have an impact, but that it has turned out that his life was impacted just as much.

They both hit the jackpot.

Nearly 10 years ago, Little Sister Jasmine was matched with Big Sister Jesse through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Kansas City. At the time, Jasmine thought that attending school was a low priority. If she missed the bus or just didn’t feel like going, she would stay home.

“There would be weeks when she would tell me about going to school only once or twice the entire week,” Jesse says. “I started to express the importance of not only getting good grades, but also attendance.”

Jesse did more than just express the importance. With her actions, she showed the importance. When Jasmine woke up late and missed her bus, Jesse would give her a ride to school. Jesse felt that it was better to arrive late than not attend at all.

“She’s someone I can talk to and call on for help with anything.”

– Little Sister Jasmine

Over time, Jasmine’s absences dwindled and so did her need for Jesse’s rides. Attendance had become a priority, and she never went back to her habit of waking up late and missing her bus.

“It was amazing to see her transform and really start to care about school,” Jesse says. “She would be so excited at the end of a week that she attended school every day. She would get in my car and light up telling me about it.”

By the time Little Sister Jasmine entered middle school, her focus shifted from just attending school to exceling at it. She stayed caught up on her schoolwork and pushed herself to do even more. At the ceremony for students finishing 8^th grade and entering high school, Jasmine gave a speech as the class valedictorian. She credits Jesse for her success.

“Without her help, these things wouldn’t have happened,” Jasmine says. “She’s the extra motivation I need sometimes for whenever I change my mind or want to give up. She’s an amazing Big Sister and a very good role model.”

Jasmine’s academic success is only part of their match. They talk a lot about goals and schoolwork, but they also enjoy baking desserts, visiting parks, and attending concerts. Jesse also helped Jasmine land her first job at a local AMC.

“Sometimes I forget that the program is the reason I met her,” Jasmine says. “I don’t see her as just a match through the program, I see her as an actual Big Sister.”

Jasmine recently graduated high school and is now in college. She attends one of the schools that she and Jesse visited together on a college tour. When Jasmine loaded her stuff into her freshman dorm room, Jesse was there with Jasmine’s entire family to help her move in.

The school is in a different city, so Jasmine can’t quite get Jesse to give her a ride if she wakes up late, but the things Jasmine learned from Jesse will always be with her.

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 attended the event with a friend and listened to the mother’s story. He was moved by her words. “It touched me, and at that moment, I knew I wanted to become a mentor,” he says. He decided he would volunteer for one year.

BBBS of Delaware matched Tony with Little Brother Nasir when Nasir was 7. Nasir had told his mom he wanted something he’d never had before: a brother. He had heard about Big Brothers Big Sisters at school and he knew that with his dad out of the picture, he needed a male role model.

“My Big Brother is special because he is always there for me no matter what.”

– Little Brother Nasir

Tony says he remembers the first time he met Nasir like it was yesterday. “I asked him what he wanted to be when grows up, and he said, ‘I’m going to be a baller like Lebron James.’ I offered to help him with his game, and he said, ‘Help me with my game? I can help you with your game.’”

Little Brother Nasir’s bravado stopped with basketball. When Tony asked about his grades, Nasir wasn’t so quick to answer. He was getting C’s and D’s. Tony encouraged Nasir to focus on school, and decided to make helping Nasir improve his grades a priority during their match.

The “one year” of mentoring that Tony told himself he would be doing flew by and quickly turned into a second year. The two found themselves racing go-karts, attending sporting events, and checking out vintage automobiles at car shows. Tony even taught Nasir how to drive.

With encouragement from Tony, who earned two master’s degrees during the time they were matched, Nasir’s C’s and D’s turned into A’s and B’s, and he has made the honor roll every year since middle school.

One thing that hasn’t changed is Tony and Nasir’s competitiveness on the basketball court. “I always like to beat him,” Nasir says.

Before Tony knew it, he had spent much longer than a year mentoring Nasir.  The memorable activities, personal growth, and friendly competition still continue now, 10 years later.

Tampa, Fla. (October 23, 2017) – 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.

Joining the board are Guy Adami, an investment expert and one of the original Wall Street traders on the show “Fast Money;” Shannon Mattingly, Strategic Partnership Manager at Facebook; Ernest Greer, co-president of Greenberg Traurig LLP; Ken Burdick, CEO of WellCare Health Plans, Inc.; and Steven Wheeler, CEO of Centurion LLC and President and CEO of MHM Services, Inc.

“Our newest board members truly embody the spirit of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, and I am delighted to welcome them,” said Pam Iorio, BBBSA president and CEO. “Mentoring young people is more important than ever. We are honored to have such a dedicated National Board to support our mission and values, as we continue to positively impact communities across the nation.”

Guy Adami

Adami works as the Director of Advisor Advocacy at Private Advisor Group in Morristown, New Jersey, a network of advisors. He is an original member of CNBC’s “Fast Money.” Adami has had considerable success in fundraising for charities in the past, including in 2012, when he and the eight-member team he assembled raised nearly $700,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  “I am so inspired by the work of Big Brothers Big Sisters in creating positive change in the lives of young people. I am honored to join the National Board and hope to move more Americans to get involved by supporting these mentoring relationships or by volunteering,” Adami says.

Shannon Mattingly

As Strategic Partnership Manager at Facebook, Mattingly brings experience and insight into branding and social media. In her role at Facebook, she works with non-profit organizations and public figures to help strengthen and amplify their messages for a social media audience. Before joining Facebook, Mattingly founded her own business, ShowStoppers, selling multiple product lines on HSN and in hundreds of stores across the country. She has been involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area and Catholic BBBS of Los Angeles, as a Junior Board Member.

Ernest Greer

As the co-president of Greenberg Traurig LLP, Greer is a highly accomplished business litigation attorney who is known for his service to his community, Greer brings decades of experience in supporting his community and causes related to education, public health, and human rights causes. Greer was the first lawyer to serve as the Chairman of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, and he has served on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Police Foundation, the Center for Civil & Human Rights, the Atlanta History Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, and Achieve Atlanta.

Ken Burdick

Prior to becoming CEO of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. in 2015, Burdick was the CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and CEO of the Medicaid Division of Coventry Health Care. Under Burdick’s leadership, WellCare became the first BBBSA corporate partner to support BBBSA’s Bigs in Blue program, which recruits police officers to become Bigs to children who live in the communities they serve.

Steven Wheeler

As the CEO of Centurion, a company which provides correctional health services, Wheeler understands how mentoring can make a difference in preventing involvement with the justice system.  As a Big Brother himself, he mentors a child in his area’s community-based mentoring program. In his role at Centurion, Wheeler actively encourages his teams to be involved with their communities and to participate in BBBS activities, especially those focused on helping the children of incarcerated parents.

The role of the BBBSA Board of Directors is to support and govern the National Office of BBBSA, which helps the nearly 300 Affiliates as they mentor youth in every state across the country.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Since 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters has provided children facing adversity with strong, enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships. Big Brothers Big Sisters ensures that the children in its program achieve measurable outcomes, including educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships. Learn more at www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.

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For more information contact:
Lauren Klinger
Communications Manager, BBBSA
Lauren.Klinger@bbbsa.org
813.605.7425

Most match journeys have some hurdles along the way. Little Sister Alexis and Big Sister Sheila’s match actually began with one. On the day of their first match activity, 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 had their first match meeting not long after that and began to develop their relationship. Alexis had never been to the library before their match, so Sheila made it a point to change that. The library quickly became one of their favorite places. They loved checking out books and reading to each other. Sheila also taught Alexis how to sew, which she now loves doing.

“She acts like a true big sister.”

– Little Sister Alexis

After they had been matched for about a year and a half, Alexis was placed in foster care. For a while, Sheila lost contact with her. She was patient and committed, though, and the match continued. “I was able to find out through BBBS where she was placed, and stayed in touch with Alexis throughout her stay with her foster family,” Sheila says.

When Alexis moved back with her mother, the match picked back up even stronger than before. The adversity they have faced has only brought them closer.

“She has become part of my family, and she knows if she needs anything, I will be there for her,” Sheila says.

The two continue to participate in many of their favorite activities, but as Alexis has grown older, they have begun to talk more about college and Alexis’ future.

“I never thought about college,” Alexis says. “When I did, I thought of it as an ‘if’, but now it’s a ‘For sure, I’m going to college. No doubt.’ That thought would have never come to mind if it weren’t for Sheila.”

Going to college always presents its own set of hurdles, but if this match has proven anything, it’s that they’ll be able to overcome them all.

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. “I was asking Arual, ‘Why?! Why?! Why are you hanging around them? He would not listen to me, so I reached out for help.” She enrolled him as a Little through Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County, and he was matched with Big Brother Jacob.

“When he says, ‘Oh, you got this,’ I feel like I have hope.”

– Little Brother Arual

Right away, Arual’s mom says she knew that getting her son a Big Brother was a good decision. “As his mom, I can get emotional about some things because I care so much about his safety and his future,” she says. “So, he’s not confident to say much when he’s speaking to me.” When Arual was considering following his friends and making poor choices, Jacob stressed that his future would be affected.

“There was a time when my friends wanted me to do bad stuff with them. I was really thinking about trying it,” Arual says. “But Jacob got me thinking about the risks involved instead. I don’t want to do things that are bad for my health when I’m trying to earn a basketball scholarship. I don’t want to have trouble on my record that keeps me from getting into my favorite colleges.” Arual wants to go to Florida State or Oregon, and he says he knows he has to focus on his big goals.

Now, Arual is doing well in school and pursuing his dream of going to a great college. “My grades are pretty good now. I’m doing really well in math,” Arual says. “I’m not quite where I want to be in my other classes. I want my grades to be even higher, because I have higher aspirations for myself.”

Jacob recognizes that he met Arual at a critical time in his adolescence, when he could have taken a different path. “Middle school is a dynamic time,” he says. “It’s easy to go one way or another.”

Big Sister Paula still remembers meeting Little Sister Mackenzie nearly six years ago. “Mackenzie was so shy, she hardly made a peep!” Paula says. “But I could tell from the gleam in her eyes, she was excited about the match.”

Mackenzie had been waiting to be matched with a Big Sister for about a year, but the timing couldn’t have been more perfect for her to finally meet her Big. That initial match meeting fell on Mackenzie’s birthday and it was the first of many big moments the two would share together.

“Though we may not be blood relatives, I am proud to say I still have family here: I have a little sister.”

– Big Sister Paula

Four years after that first meeting, Mackenzie attended Paula’s wedding. A year after that, Mackenzie met Paula’s infant son. Paula watched Mackenzie graduate from 8^th grade and was there to see Mackenzie graduate from high school.

“She’s been there for the big moments and the small ones,” Paula says.

The smaller moments have included shopping, getting pedicures, going out to eat, baking chocolate cake, cooking chili, and volunteering in the community.

Mackenzie’s mother says that volunteering with Paula has nurtured Mackenzie’s love for helping others and encouraged her to study nursing in college.

“When we meet, she is always interested in what I have been up to in my schoolwork, the latest trends, and any new friends in my life,” Mackenzie says. “She’s all-around a great person.”

Through it all, the two have grown together.

“I have watched her grow from a quiet, shy pre-teen to a much more talkative, focused young woman,” Paula says about Mackenzie.

“It has been an amazing experience to get to know someone and see them change over the years,” Mackenzie says about Paula.

Mackenzie mom feels like the match couldn’t be better even if she had selected the Big herself.  “This is more than just a match,” she says. “They will forever be intertwined in each other’s lives.”

Paula and Mackenzie couldn’t agree more. Mackenzie recently started college, but she says her relationship with Paula will continue in the future, through big moments and small.

Big Brother Cynric often thought about how his life would be different if he’d had a mentor, or if he could go back in time to mentor himself. Before becoming a Big, he thought mentoring was for people who had it all figured out. “I always felt like being a mentor was a thing I should do as a man and as someone who cared about their community,” he says. “But for a long time I didn’t think I was the right guy.”

The more he thought about it, he decided that maybe his mistakes could make him an even better mentor.  “It was those mistakes that pushed me to sign up,” he says.

Cynric enrolled as a Big, and he was soon matched with Little Brother Kameron. Their first meeting was over ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery.

“I was nervous at first,” Kameron says, thinking back to when he was seven.

“He treats me with so much respect and he acts like he is truly my real brother.”

– Little Brother Kameron

Growing up, Kameron was having trouble making connections with people. At school, he was bullied and left out of activities. At home, his single mom didn’t have time to spend with him one-on-one time because he had so many brothers.

Big Brother Cynric remembers getting one-word answers to all his questions in the early days, but after being matched for seven years, he now says that, Kameron “shakes his head or rolls his eyes” at all of his jokes. The two have bonded over playing video games and watching movies, and Little Brother Kameron even says that he enjoys raking leaves and mowing the grass.

“I like doing yard work with him because it teaches me how to maintain a yard using different tools,” Kameron says.

Little Brother Kameron has grown a lot from the boy who was nervous over ice cream, and he gives a lot of credit to Cynric. “Now that I have my Big, school is great,” he says. “He helped me get through those tough times, and now I’m confident in myself.”

Cynric says he knows his relationship has had affected Kameron, but that the biggest impact may have come from his mistakes. “I can tell – by what he says – that Kam thinks about the mistakes I made when I was in his shoes and how I dealt with it (or didn’t), when he figures out how to handle problems in his own life.”

Editor’s Note: The photo first posted with this match story was not the correct photo for the match in the article. The photo was updated on 9/29/17 and is now reflective of the match in the story. We regret the error.

For over 18 years, Diane was the owner/operator of a hair salon. For years she heard clients talk about their experiences of being a Big, and three years ago, she decided to become one herself. “I took the plunge and contacted Big Brothers Big Sisters of Windham County,” she says.

At the same time, a single mother of four children was signing up her daughter Jaelynn to be a Little. “My mom and I thought I needed someone to hang out with and to go see new places, try new things,” Jaelynn says. Mom and daughter got exactly that when Big Brothers Big Sisters matched Jaelynn with Big Sister Diane.

On their first outing the two bonded almost immediately. “We went out for ice cream and I was comfortable right away,” Jaelynn says.

A lot of their first outings included going out for ice cream, but the match really came to life when they started cooking their own food in the kitchen. Jaelynn loved to learn new things and Diane was happy to teach her. “We have produced dozens and dozens of hand-decorated cookies, chocolate-covered Oreo truffles and even apple pies,” Diane says.

“I want Diane to be a lifetime friend.”

– Little Sister Jaelynn

However, Diane hasn’t been doing all the teaching in the kitchen. Back at home, Jaelynn has taught her siblings how to make truffles as well, telling them all about learning to make them with Diane. “I know the truffle recipe she taught me by heart,” she says.

Last winter, the two took on ice skating, seeing it as a learning opportunity for both of them. They started with ice skating training aids, and made it a challenge to see who would shed them first. “Of course, Jaelynn was quickly skating circles around me as I was hesitant to let go of the training aid,” Diane says. Luckily, Jaelynn did slow down to help Diane get up to speed.

Nowadays, Jaelynn helps out Diane at her hair salon by organizing her shelves. She gets paid for her time, but she doesn’t take the money home right away. Instead, she puts it in special envelopes. “Each envelope is for something different – college, car, nail polish, clothes, and beauty supplies,” Jaelynn says. “My college envelope has the most money in it, because I want to go to college and learn to be a veterinarian.”

The match has been more than anything Jaelynn or her mom expected. “Diane is one of the most loving and caring individuals I have ever had the privilege of knowing,” Jaelynn’s mother says. “She is a great role model for my daughter.”

Jaelynn and her mom are thankful for the role Diane has played in Jaelynn’s life, but Diane says she has gotten even more joy and satisfaction out of the match than Jaelynn.

But all involved owe a thanks to Diane’s hair salon for not only being the place that helps Jaelynn save for college, but for also being the place where Diane was first inspired to become a big.

Nearly every Saturday morning for the last nine years, Big Brother Steve has knocked on Little Brother Cesar’s door to pick him up for an outing. Sometimes they go kayaking or biking, sometimes they work in the yard, and often they go to a sporting event. Consistency is one of the keys to mentorship, Steve says. “So many ‘Littles’ have dealt with so much disappointment in their lives and need someone that is truly dependable, keeps their word, and follows through on their promises,” he says.

Keeping with that consistency, Big Brother Steve has tried to attend as many of Cesar’s games as possible over the years, despite traveling heavily for work. One of his goals is to help Cesar prepare for and deconstruct his performances on the football field and basketball court when he can.

“I feel like he’s one of the few people who believe in me.”

– Little Brother Cesar

One Saturday, Steve knocked on Cesar’s door as usual, and they headed out to a soccer game. “My neighbor’s son, who is autistic, was playing in a soccer match, and Cesar and I were going to be cheering him on,” Steve says. Many of the players had physical challenges, including the goalie, who used a wheelchair. Steve and Cesar spent the morning supporting the players and praising them after the game.

On the way home, Steve told Cesar he was proud of him for enthusiastically supporting all the players. Steve remembers Cesar saying, “Steve, when I hear you cheer for me, it makes me feel famous. So today, I wanted your neighbor and all his friends to feel famous, too.”

“At that moment, I realized the importance of my relationship with Cesar and his relationship with me,” Steve says.

Cesar’s mom says she knows that Steve has had a positive impact on Cesar and guided him to a bigger future. “Steve gives Cesar advice and helps him understand things in life better,” she says. “It’s nice that Cesar has someone else to give him advice other than myself.”

Cesar is happy for that extra advice and guidance, seeing Steve as both a best friend and role model. He says his Big Brother has helped him not only improve with sports but also get better grades and make progress towards his future goals. “His encouragement is one of the things that inspires me to try harder,” Little Brother Cesar says. “I want to make him proud.”

Steve is already nothing short of proud, so much so that’s he confident that Cesar will one day “become a Big Brother, and change the life of his ‘Little.’”

Becoming a Big requires a drive to give back.  Bigs dedicate time and energy to mentor a child who needs a role model. Big Sister Keri had that drive when she signed up to be a Big, and at her first match meeting, she found out her Little Sister Kiana had it too.

Big Sister Keri had been told that Kiana didn’t talk much, so she was a little nervous about that first meeting. Keri wanted to bring her somewhere familiar and comfortable, so they went to McDonald’s. They played on the restaurant’s playground and worked up an appetite, but Kiana ate only a few fries. She divided her meal into sections, naming off each of her six brothers and sisters, saving food to bring home to them. “At her young age, she cared more about others than herself,” Keri says.

Through the 11 years they have been matched, Big Sister Keri has continued to nurture Kiana’s instinct to care for others. Together, they have found ways to give back to their community. They have gardened at a food pantry’s farm, baked cookies for the homeless, and visited with nursing home residents. “Keri and Kiana participate in volunteer activities throughout Lubbock, and they have inspired the rest of our family to give back,” Kiana’s mom says.

“My Big Sister Keri has been a positive influence in my life by molding the person I am today.”

– Little Sister Kiana

Big Sister Keri and Little Sister Kiana have also worked through some struggles Kiana was having with her behavior and her schoolwork. At one point in their match, Kiana was tested and was found to be reading far below her grade level. Big Sister Keri helped her enroll in tutoring and encouraged her to keep at it, even when her tutoring sessions were on Saturday mornings.

“Some Saturdays were harder than others, but she did really well with her studies,” Big Sister Keri says. “She is making better choices and talks about her concerns for her siblings and fellow students.”

Her behavior at school has improved, and now, Kiana reads at grade level.

“Keri has always been there when Kiana needed help, whether it was making better decisions, learning new skills, or exposing her to new opportunities,” Kiana’s mom says.

Kiana says Keri has also changed her perspective and helped her dream bigger. “I am scared of heights, but I want to be in the Air Force,” Kiana says. Keri told her not to let her fear keep her from doing something she is passionate about, and it made all the difference. “Now, I am still a little afraid of heights, but I know I can overcome it when I become a pilot one day.”

With her drive to give back and her belief in herself, the sky is truly the limit for this selfless future pilot.

This summer, Minor League Baseball and Esurance named Little Sister Asma an “Esurance Rising Star Student” and awarded her a $5,000 scholarship for college expenses. She accepted the award during an on-field ceremony before the Salt Lake Bees game, her hometown Minor League Baseball team, on May 12, but her journey to becoming a scholarship winner began long before she even stepped foot in a classroom.

Approximately 18 years ago, Asma’s mother fled Somalia, making her way to the United States, toting three toddlers and pregnant with twins Asma and Anisa. She had to leave her husband behind in Somalia. Two years later, they would all be reunited in America.

“You have little kids, no husband, and you don’t know who to speak to,” Asma’s mom says. “It was very hard.”

Growing up, Asma faced challenges of her own. She always excelled at school, but dealt with bullies who teased her for her skin color, religion, ethnicity, and language skills. A teacher saw how much Asma and her twin sister were being picked on, and she referred both girls to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The twins’ first matches were with Big Sisters who were also twins themselves. They had other School-Based Big Sisters throughout elementary school and then transitioned to the Community-Based program in middle school. Asma says her involvement with Big Brothers Big Sisters helped her accept herself.

“Each Big Sister allowed me to embrace my own identity,” Asma says. “Just having the presence of someone who cared about me outside my family was so important.”

Now, with a scholarship in hand, Asma is headed to college this fall to study neuroscience. This summer, she’s participating in an internship program for surgical technology. She wakes up when it’s still dark out in Salt Lake City and heads to the hospital to start her day. The job of a surgical technologist is to label the medications so the patient receives the right one during surgery, sanitize the surgical tools and hand instruments to the surgeon.

“Just being in the operating room makes me happy, it’s amazing. And I’m getting a feel of how being a surgeon is,” Asma says.

Seeing how Big Brothers Big Sisters affected her life has led Asma to want to support other girls in the same way. She won the Miss Africa Utah scholarship pageant in her senior year of high school, and while she could have used the scholarship money for tuition, she chose instead to use it to create a curriculum for girls.

“It’s a six- to eight-week curriculum to encourage minority females to be themselves, unapologetically,” she says. “I want to teach these girls that they can be themselves and they are beautiful.”

The curriculum has been her side project throughout the summer and will continue into her freshman year in college. Part of her motivation to keep her grades up and excel is her mom, who she describes as her best friend. “Part of my way of paying her back for everything she did for us, for bringing us here, is obtaining that education and being successful, so that she knows her struggle and coming to the U.S. was worth it.”

Seeing her children succeed was once only a dream for Asma’s mom. Now, it is a reality as she sees her daughter start college.

To meet our other 12 2017 Esurance Rising Star Students, click here.

At the BBBSA National Awards Gala in June, BBBSA highlighted some of the corporate partners that make our mission possible.

Chairman’s Award – ALEX AND ANI

In 2016, we worked with Alex and Ani to create the Big and Little Dipper Set of Two Charm Bangles. From the sale of those bangles, Big Brothers Big Sisters has received nearly $300,000 in the first year of the partnership. More importantly, this partnership has created a symbol that is worn by so many Bigs and Littles across the country to signify their never-ending friendships.

President’s Award – Jack in the Box

For 19 years, Jack in the Box has supported Big Brothers Big Sisters. This year, Jack in the Box celebrates the 13 years of Operation Bigs, the Big Brothers Big Sisters program for mentoring kids from military families. They were the founding sponsor to launch the program, and they now support Operation Bigs matches across the country, and they not only invest in programs, they also collaborate with the National Office and the network to support Operation Bigs and also the Hispanic Mentoring Initiative, First Meal Programs, and Bowl for Kids’ Sake

Community Impact Award – The 250 Club

For more than 46 years, The 250 Club has hosted an annual dinner in Cleveland to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters. Over the years, The 250 Club has donated more than $2 million to BBBSA and local agencies.

Enterprise Award – Savers

Savers has helped nearly 40 agencies by turning their community’s used clothing and household items into big donations to Big Brothers Big Sisters. Savers creates thousands of jobs and generates millions of dollars in revenue each year to support local affiliate.

Common Good Award – Hill Impact

The entire network has benefited from the work of Dan Hill and his firm, Hill Impact, which has provided countless hours of pro bono public relations services to the National Office since 2012.

Nerium International has been a strong partner of Big Brothers Big Sisters since 2012. Each year, thousands of Nerium Brand Partners donate a portion of their monthly commissions, raise funds through Bowl for Kids’ Sake, and many have become Bigs.

Debbi-Jo (D.J.) is one of those Brand Partners who, after attending the Nerium Get Real Conference, decided to become a Big Sister. She was inspired by the Nerium Chief Leadership Officer Renee Olson, who spoke at the Conference about being a Big to her Little Sister, Ryan.

“I remember thinking, ‘If Renee Olson, whose life is even crazier than mine, can find the time, I have no excuse,’” D.J. says.

When D.J. got back to her home in Rhode Island, she simply asked the local affiliate, BBBS of the Ocean State, “What do I have to do?”

Not long after, she was matched with Little Sister Caira.

Caira was 16 at the time of their match. It’s around that age that many affiliates stop matching youth. She still had two years to be mentored before graduating high school, though, and  D.J. felt strongly that she could make a difference for Caira.

The two years have been nothing short of amazing, D.J. says. They have enjoyed getting their nails done, gardening, making dream boards, and so much more.

“She is shy, but once she’s been around you, she just, like, comes out of herself,” D.J. says. “She really has blossomed.”

Now, Caira is preparing for college. She hopes to become a social worker and work with children with disabilities. Her “official” match through BBBS with D.J. may be ending, but she knows that she’ll always have her Big Sister in her corner if not by her side.

“We’ve already decided we are going to remain friends forever,” D.J. says.

For the fourth consecutive year, Corner Store is hosting a “down home family fun” event across the nation with their Corner Store Country Run. Proceeds from the race will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters and local children’s charities in each city.

Participants are encouraged to wear their best country attire, with many runners donning their best cowboy hats and rocking their best pigtails. While a lot of racers do wear typical race gear, many do come to the event dressed in flannels and overalls.

When the race starts, runners go through a farm-themed trail, encountering experiences such as hay bales, tractor tires, and farm animals (inflatable ones) throughout the 5K.

When the race is over, everyone is invited to a post-race party with giveaways, food, and more.

The Country Run kicked off in early July in Denver, but will continue in the fall in four other stops. If bringing out your inner cowpoke or cowgirl and running for a good cause interests you, don’t miss it!  If you can’t make it to a race, visit your local Corner Store in the month of September to donate to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Former NFL tight end Konrad Reuland was always mentoring others, helping younger boys reach their goals. His sudden death of a brain aneurysm at age 29 left his family and friends devastated.

To honor Konrad, his family and friends have established the Konrad A. Reuland “Little” Endowed Scholarship through Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Each year, proceeds from this fund will be awarded to a Little Brother within the network who is interested in playing football and attending college.

This year, the Konrad A. Reuland “Little” Endowed Scholarship was awarded to Jonathan “J.J.” Barajas from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County.

Little Brother J.J. has been matched with Big Brother Sean for 10 years. J.J. is a linebacker and was captain of his high school football team. He will be attending Goldenwest College this fall, and he hopes to transfer to University of Nevada, Reno, to study sports medicine and pursue his dreams.

J.J. says he is thankful to have had a mentor like Sean growing up because Sean gave him the motivation needed to tackle the difficult decisions in life, both on and off the field.

Each year, BBBSA will award the Konrad A. Reuland “Little” Endowed Scholarship to remind us of Konrad’s extraordinary life.

When Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Board Member Liz Smith completed her two-year term as Board Chair in 2016, the Board wanted to honor her service. Liz isan extraordinary leader and helped the National Office through its most challenging years. The Board came together to endow a scholarship in her name. Every year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will award a college scholarship to a Little in the network who demonstrates leadership in high school.

This year, the Elizabeth A. Smith “Little” Leader Scholarship was awarded to Shayna Eshmoili from Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters Association of Los Angeles.

After losing her mother at a young age, Little Sister Shayna was matched with her Big Sister Farnaz in middle school, and their relationship stayed strong throughout her high school years.

When Shayna was in high school, Farnaz often had to remind her to step back and find a balance between school and social life. Among other activities, she was president of her school’s Red Cross chapter and captain of her school’s FIRST Robotics team, which went to the competition’s international championships.  “I grew a lot during that time period. She was there to help me through that,” Shayna says. “She was there to give me advice on classes, social things, getting through those four years alive.”

Shayna now attends the University of California at Los Angeles and is still highly involved with extracurricular activities. She and Farnaz are still close, and Big Sister Farnaz still has to remind Shayna to balance all that she takes on.  

“She has been there for so many milestones and her presence has been such a comfort to me over the years,” Shayna says.