Wikipedia

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is an American 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to "create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth".[3] Adult volunteers are matched with children from age 5 to young adulthood. It was founded by Ernest Kent Coulter.[4]

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Founded1904; 122 years ago (1904)
Cincinnati, Ohio
New York
FounderErnest Kent Coulter
TypeNon-governmental organization
FocusMentorship, education
HeadquartersTampa, Florida, United States
Region served
United States
Key people
Artis Stevens,[1] President and CEO
RevenueUS$21 million[2] (2019)
Websitebbbs.org

BBBSA provides guidance, resources, and support to its network of local BBBS agencies.

Local BBBS agencies[5] operate under BBBSA and implement mentoring programs in their communities. These agencies match adult volunteers (Bigs) with children (Littles) ages 5 through young adulthood.

The mentoring programs[6] focus on education, social skills, and personal development.

Congressional charter

edit

Impact

edit

Public/Private Ventures, an independent Philadelphia-based national research organization, conducted a study from 1994 to 1995, monitoring 950 participants nationwide to study the effects of Big Brothers Big Sisters.[7]

Public/Private Ventures conducted another study in 2011 that evaluated the school-based Big Brothers Big Sisters Program.[8][9]

In 2025, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America released a study[10] conducted in collaboration with researchers from Harvard University and the U.S. Department of Treasury, examining the long-term effects of their mentorship programs. The study analyzed three decades of data across educational, economic, and social dimensions.

The research[11] revealed economic benefits for participants. Participants showed a 15% increase in earnings between ages 20-25. The program demonstrated cost-effectiveness, with government investment recovery occurring within seven years through increased lifetime earnings and related tax revenue. The annual program costs ranged from $2,000 to $3,000 per youth annually.

The study reported improvements in educational achievement.[12] Mentored youth showed 20% higher college attendance rates compared to non-mentored peers. Additionally, mentored youth demonstrated reduced absenteeism and fewer school suspensions.

The research[13] identified several social outcomes. Participants showed changes in behavioral patterns and stronger social bonds. Mentored youth exhibited reduced dependency on social services. Additionally, the program showed effectiveness for reducing socioeconomic disparities without requiring complete environmental change.

The 2025 study[14] built upon a 1991 randomized control trial conducted by Public/Private Ventures and Mathematica Policy Research. The research methodology involved analyzing participants aged 10-14 who applied to BBBSA's community-based mentoring program in the early 1990s.[15] The demographic composition included 60% male participants and over 50% racial minorities. Data collection combined BBBS administrative records with U.S. tax records, and the study analyzed long-term impact assessment.

History

edit

Establishment (1904–1948)

edit

The Big Brothers movement[16] began in 1904 when Ernest Coulter, a clerk at the New York Children's Court, noticed an increasing number of young boys appearing before the court. Coulter theorized[17] that providing positive adult mentorship could help prevent youth delinquency. He recruited volunteers from local civic organizations to serve as mentors to these boys, leading to the establishment of Big Brothers of New York City. A similar effort focused on young women was established by the Catholic Ladies of Charity, forming the Catholic Big Sisters organization.[18] In Cincinnati, businessman Irvin F. Westheimer introduced a mentoring initiative after noticing a young boy searching for food near his office.

By 1912, Big Brothers programs had expanded to 26 cities in the United States. The program was supported by Theodore Roosevelt Jr., President Calvin Coolidge, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who recognized mentorship as a valuable support system for youth. In 1948, artist Norman Rockwell created an illustration for the Big Brothers Association. Rockwell's illustration helped raise awareness of the mentorship movement.

Growth and unification (1951–2003)

edit

In 1951, the Big Brothers of the Year program was established to honor outstanding mentors, with recipients including Supreme Court Justice Tom Clark and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.[19] In 1958 Congress granted a federal charter to the Big Brothers Association.[20] In 1970, Big Sisters International was incorporated, and in 1977, the two organizations merged to form Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. In the 1980s,[21] the organization established a national headquarters in Philadelphia and was recognition through a U.S. postal stamp. In 1995, a study examined the impact of mentoring on youth development.[22]

Modernization and innovation (2004–onwards)

edit

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) marked its centennial in 2004. In 2006, First Lady Laura Bush[23]publicly supported the organization. A 2007 Super Bowl PSA featuring competing coaches promoted the program.[24] In 2011, BBBSA received the American Institute of Philanthropy's A+ rating, and Philanthropedia ranked it as the #1 nonprofit for at-risk youth. In 2012, BBBSA released its first nationwide Youth Outcomes Survey,[25] providing data on the program's impact across multiple areas of child development. In 2013, BBBSA had an audit by the U.S. Department of Justice that identified non-compliance with grant requirements. The audit led to the freezing of grant disbursements. The organization implemented reforms, including replacing its management team and introducing stricter financial oversight policies. In a settlement with the Justice Department, the organization paid $1.6 million and agreed to enhanced compliance measures, including regular audits, a compliance team, an employee code of conduct, whistleblower protections, and disciplinary policies for financial misconduct. The claims resolved by this settlement were allegations only, with no determination of liability.[7]  In 2015, BBBSA relocated its national headquarters to Tampa, Florida.

In November 2020, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America appointed Artis Stevens as its first Black CEO.[26]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ↑ "Artis Stevens Named New President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America". November 23, 2020. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  2. ↑ "Financial Statements". Big Brothers Big Sisters of America – Youth Mentoring. October 4, 2016. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  3. ↑ "About Us: Big Brothers Big Sisters". September 21, 2016.
  4. ↑ "MS-852: Big Brothers/Big Sisters Association of Cincinnati Records. 1913-2010". collections.americanjewisharchives.org. Retrieved February 14, 2023.
  5. ↑ Herrera, Carla; DuBois, David L.; Heubach, Janet; Grossman, Jean B. (January 1, 2023). "Effects of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Community-Based Mentoring Program on social-emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes of participating youth: A randomized controlled trial". Children and Youth Services Review. 144 106742. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106742. ISSN 0190-7409.
  6. ↑ "MSN". www.msn.com. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Big impact—proven results". Big Brothers Big Sisters. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Promising Practices Network | Programs that Work | Big Brothers Big Sisters of America". Promisingpractices.net. Retrieved June 29, 2016.
  9. ↑ Herrera, C., Grossman, J. B., Kauh, T. J., & McMaken, J. (2011). "Mentoring in Schools: An Impact Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring". Child Development, 82(1), 346–361.
  10. ↑ Bell, Alex; Petkova, Neviana (February 21, 2023). "The Long-Term Impacts of Mentors: Evidence from Experimental and Administrative Data". SSRN 4868302.
  11. ↑ "BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA LAUNCHES GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH ON THE LONG-TERM IMPACTS OF MENTORSHIP". finance.yahoo.com. January 27, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Big Brothers Big Sisters". Results for America - Economic Mobility Catalog. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  13. ↑ Herrera, Carla; DuBois, David L.; Heubach, Janet; Grossman, Jean B. (January 2023). "Effects of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Community-Based Mentoring Program on social-emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes of participating youth: A randomized controlled trial". Children and Youth Services Review. 144 106742. doi:10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106742.
  14. ↑ Tierney, Joseph P.; Baldwin Grossman, Jean; Resch, Nancy L. "Making a Difference An Impact Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters" (PDF).
  15. ↑ Benard, Bonnie; Marshall, Kathy. "Big Brothers/Big Sisters Mentoring: The Power of Developmental Relationships" (PDF). National Resilience Resource Center University of Minnesota.
  16. ↑ Upi (January 1, 1981). "IRVIN F. WESTHEIMER, 101, FOUNDER OF BIG BROTHERS AT START OF CENTURY". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Big Brothers Big Sisters: 100+ Years of Volunteering". Engage Journal. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  18. ↑ "The end of an era for the Sisters of Charity of New York". AP News. May 9, 2023. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  19. ↑ "F.B.I. DIRECTOR HONORED; J. Edgar Hoover Accepts Title of 'Big Brother of the Year'". The New York Times. January 5, 1951. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  20. ↑ "36 USC Ch. 301: BIG BROTHERS-BIG SISTERS OF AMERICA". uscode.house.gov. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  21. ↑ "Own a Piece of History, Buy the Former Big Brothers Big Sisters HQ". OCF Realty. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  22. ↑ Baldwin Grossman, Jean; Resch, Nancy; Tierney, Joseph P. (September 15, 2000). "Making a Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers/Big Sisters (Re-issue of 1995 Study)". search.issuelab.org.
  23. ↑ "Mrs. Laura Bush visits with students from the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Washington and Baltimore, Md., during a visit to the White House, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2006. White House photo by Kimberlee Hewitt". georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  24. ↑ Esterbrook, John (February 1, 2007). "Coaches Talk Mentoring In Super Bowl Spot - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  25. ↑ "YOS and COS Redesign Project |". Retrieved March 16, 2025.
  26. ↑ Scipioni, Jade (February 24, 2022). "First Black CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: After landing the job, I thought of Ahmaud Arbery". CNBC. Retrieved March 16, 2025.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Big_Brothers_Big_Sisters_of_America&oldid=1353043044"