Who We Are
For over 30 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah has been helping at-risk children reach their potential through one-to-one mentoring. Serving children in Salt Lake, Wasatch, Summit, Davis, Weber, Washington, and Utah Counties, we are one of 400 agencies that makes up Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Recently Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah received the Pinnacle Standard Award from the National office for our outstanding growth and strength of relationships we are building. This honor was bestowed upon only the top 1% of the 400 nationwide agencies. We are proud to positively impact children's lives through out the state of Utah.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America began in 1904 as Big Brothers movement. A vision of a young clerk named Ernest Coulter who was seeing more and more boys comes through is courtroom. He recognized that caring adults could help many of these kids stay out of trouble, and he set out to find volunteers. By 1916, the movement spread across 96 cities.
At about the same time a group called Ladies of Charity were befriending girls who had come through the New York Children's Court and would eventually become Catholic Big Sisters.
Both groups continued to work independently until 1977, when Big Brothers of America and Big Sisters International joined forces and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
More than a century later, Big Brothers Big Sisters remains true to our founders’ vision of bringing caring mentors into the lives of children. Big Brothers Big Sisters currently operates in all 50 states … and in 35 countries around the world!
More Than 30 Years of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah
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Event
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1974
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Governor Rampton declares January 6-12th "Big Brother Week"
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1978
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Salt Lake is incorporated on February 20th
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1979
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Governor Matheson declares February 18-24th "Big Brother Big Sister Appreciation Week"
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1980
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Salt Lake becomes a United Way Agency. Current staff is one full-time and one part-time employee
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1982
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Application accepted by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
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1984
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First Bowl for Kid's Sake
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1988
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Served 190 children. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah receives the Governors Award of Excellence
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1992
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Offices open at 1415 South Main
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1994
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Partnership with Savers begins
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1996
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Partnership with Salt Lake Housing Authority begins
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1998
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Served 498 children
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1999
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School-Based mentoring begins in Salt Lake County. Friends of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah is officially formed to be the Donation Center for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah
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2002
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Staff grows to 20 employees
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2003
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St. George satellite opens at a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah
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2005
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Huntsville resident, Tom Taylor is named national Big Brother of the Year
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2006
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New Park City office opens on Sidewinder Drive. Utah County opens first program at Fox Hollow Elementary School
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2007
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Wasatch County opens first School-Based mentoring program in Heber. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah receives federal funding to begin Mentoring Children of Prisoners. 1,625 children served
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2008
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah receives federal funding for School-Based mentoring eight schools in the Salt Lake City School District. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah receives the Gold Standard Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Board is recognized as one of the top nine Boards in the national network. 1,795 children served
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2009
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Utah receives the Gold Standard Award for the second year in a row which makes them the Pinnacle Award winner. They are among the top 4 out of 391 agencies nationwide.
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