Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Big Brothers Big Sisters?
   Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest and largest youth mentoring organization in the United States, matching caring adults with children, ages five-to-18 years old, in one-to-one relationships.
   
   
2. Where is Big Brothers Big Sisters located?
   Big Brothers Big Sisters’ approximately 500 agencies are located in 5,000 communities across the country.  The national headquarters is located in Philadelphia, PA.
   
   
3. How did Big Brothers Big Sisters get started?
   Ernest Coulter founded Big Brothers in New York City in 1904.  Coulter, a clerk of the Juvenile Court at the time, was appalled by the suffering of the thousands of children who repeatedly came through the court system.  At a meeting of civic and business leaders on December 4, 1904, Coulter appealed to those present to take on the role of a “Big Brother.”  All forty men present stepped forward, creating the movement that is now Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.  Across town, similar work was being done by a group of women who befriended girls who came before the Children’s Court.  This developed into the organization that later became Big Sisters.  In the decades to follow, Big Brother and Big Sister programs sprang up throughout the country and today, Big Brothers Big Sisters is the leading youth mentoring organization in the United States.
   
   
4. How can I get involved?
   There are two ways to get involved with BBBSA: volunteering or making a donation. You can make a donation online, over the phone with our donations services partner - Kintera, Inc. at 1.858.795.3090, or in person at your local BBBSA agency. To volunteer, you can call 1.888.412.BIGS or contact your local BBBS Agency.
   
   
5. Do I need special training to volunteer as a Big?
   No special training is required. All you need is the willingness to spend time with someone who needs a friend. BBBS staff provides support and training as needed.
   
   
6. How much time am I expected to spend with my Little?
   It ranges from one hour a week to several hours a month.
   
   
7. What is Big Brothers Big Sisters doing to celebrate its 100th anniversary?
   Big Brothers Big Sisters is marking its 100th anniversary in 2004 by embarking on an online campaign with Yahoo! to create the world’s largest online reunion of Bigs and Littles.  The January kick-off campaign, designed in partnership with Yahoo!, encourages Bigs and Littles to visit www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org to submit their personal stories about past matches and to request help in locating their former Big or Little.  Big Brothers Big Sisters will publish select stories in a centennial book, “100 Great Stories from the First 100 Years” in 2004. Every alumni who submits a story on online has an opportunity to enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to New York City in June 2004 to participate in upcoming Big Brothers Big Sisters celebratory activities.
   
   
8. What does the Yahoo! partnership entail?
   Yahoo! has selected  Big Brothers Big Sisters as its non-profit partner for 2004/2005 and will feature Big Brothers Big Sisters on its front page to launch the effort to reunite the millions of people who have been Big or Little Brothers and Sisters.  Yahoo! will also  support the organization’s alumni reunion and centennial activities with online banner ads, joint marketing events and a special IMVironment – an instant messaging environment that allows users to introduce the Big Brothers Big Sisters mission to their friends, as they use the innovative chat tool. 
   
   
9. Who are Big Brothers and Big Sisters?
   Big Brothers and Big Sisters are all kinds of people -- from high school and college students to business people to retirees -- who volunteer to spend time with children.  Bigs sometimes spend as little as one hour each week with a child in need.  Through this mentoring program, both child and adults share everyday experiences that enrich the lives of all involved.
   
   
10. Who are Little Brothers or Little Sisters?
    Littles are youths, from five-to-18 years old, who come to Big Brothers Big Sisters either through a parent, guardian or the Big Brothers Big Sisters In Schools program, through the recommendation of a teacher.  Littles are from single and two-parent homes, from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds.  The genesis of a match is that a parent, guardian or teacher believes that a child could benefit from the presence of an additional caring adult in his/her life.  The parent or guardian gives permission for the child to participate. 
    
    
11. How is Big Brothers Big Sisters different from other mentoring programs?
    Big Brothers Big Sisters is the only national mentoring organization with the primary mission of one-to-one mentoring with friendship as its cornerstone.  It provides both national leadership and comprehensive program services at the local community level.
    
    
12. How does Big Brothers Big Sisters create a match?
    A tremendous amount of due diligence goes not only into the creation of the match, but also to its support. In the community program, parents or guardians apply to the program for their child to be matched with a “Big.”  Potential Big Brothers and Big Sisters are screened for the role.  Screening includes a personal interview by a trained staff member and criminal, background and reference checks.  In community-based programs a home assessment is also made. The child and his/her parents meet with the Big and, if the parent gives consent, a match is made.  During the course of the match, a trained caseworker maintains contact with the match, oversees its development and offers guidance, if needed.
    
    
13. Are there different ways Bigs and Littles can interact?
    Yes.  There are essentially two different types of programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters: community-based and site-based.  In the community-based program, Bigs and Littles are matched by trained professionals and spend time on activities they jointly select, such as attending sporting events, going out for ice cream and other everyday fun activities.  Big Brothers Big Sisters also offers site-based programs where supervised meetings occur between Bigs and Littles at a dedicated site, usually a school.  At Big Brothers Big Sisters In Schools program, for instance, Bigs and Littles meet regularly at the school where they can have lunch together, play sports in the gym or use the computers in the library.  Strict screening of volunteers occurs for both programs and both involve ongoing support from trained professionals.  Big Brothers Big Sisters In Schools Program is the fastest growing program within the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization.  In 2003, some 90,000 youths were served through this program.
    
    
14. What is the Amachi Big Brothers Big Sisters program?
    Amachi Big Brothers Big Sisters matches children of incarcerated parents with adults who are members of church congregations, usually in the child’s neighborhood.  It is a new initiative that Big Brothers Big Sisters started in Philadelphia in 2000.  There are 2.5 million children in this country who have an incarcerated parent and research shows that a large percentage of them will end up in prison unless some type of intervention occurs.  The Amachi Big Brothers Big Sisters program is now underway in 25 communities around the country.  In Philadelphia, 700 children have already been matched through this program.  Amachi is a Nigerian Ibo word that means “who knows but what God has brought us through this child.”
    
    
15. Are the benefits of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program measurable?
    Yes, a national study by Public Private Ventures documents the benefits to Little Brothers and Little Sisters who participate in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.  These youths are 52 percent less likely to skip a day of school and 46 percent less likely to start using drugs than peers who are not in the program.  Studies of youths in the school-based program show improved school performance and attendance, better grades and greater self-confidence.  In addition, impact of the match on the child is assessed each year.
    
    
16. How many children does Big Brothers Big Sisters serve today?
    Today Big Brothers Big Sisters serves more than 200,000 youths in 5,000 communities in all 50 states.  The agency has embarked on an ambitious plan to serve one million children by the year 2010.
    
    
17. Are there sufficient Big Brothers and Big Sisters to meet the needs of today’s children?
    Studies show that there are 14 million children considered “at risk” in our country.  Ten million of these are within the ages served by Big Brothers Big Sisters.  Big Brothers Big Sisters has embarked on an aggressive growth plan with the goal of serving one million youths by the year 2010.
    
    
18. Where does Big Brothers Big Sisters get its funding?
    Funding for Big Brothers Big Sisters comes from a variety of sources including individuals, federal, state and local government, foundations and corporations.