DONATE
Section image

120+ Years. One Mission.

For more than 120 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been more than a mentoring program — it has been a movement.

Every Child Deserves a Champion

Our history is built on the belief that every child deserves a champion, and that one caring adult can change the course of a life forever.

Where It All Began

In 1904, New York City court clerk Ernest Coulter watched a steady stream of boys come through his courtroom. He knew the law wasn't what they needed — they needed a caring adult. So he recruited 39 volunteers and asked each one to befriend one boy. That single act of conviction became the foundation of a movement that has since touched millions of lives.

At the same time, the Ladies of Charity — later Catholic Big Sisters — began befriending girls entering the New York Children's Court. Pioneers like Mrs. O'Keefe and Mrs. Parker were among the first to recognize that mentorship builds belonging, and that every child deserves someone in their corner.

The law wasn't what they needed. They needed a caring adult.

Justice as Our Foundation

Our story began in 1904 as a radical alternative to the juvenile justice system. Ernest Coulter, a New York City court clerk, saw an endless cycle of young boys appearing before his bench. Recognizing that "the law" wasn't what these children needed—but rather the guidance of a caring adult—he recruited 39 volunteers to become the first "Big Brothers."

Simultaneously, the Ladies of Charity (later Catholic Big Sisters) began befriending girls entering the New York Children’s Court. Among these pioneers were Mrs. O’Keefe and Mrs. Parker, two of the first Big Sisters who realized that equity in mentorship was just as vital for young women.

Justice as Our Foundation