Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington

The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Washington (BBBS) is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Our vision is that all youth achieve their full potential. As a local affiliate of our national organization founded in 1904, BBBS has been making meaningful, monitored matches between volunteers/mentors (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 5 through 18, in Southwest Washington since 1984. The majority of youth we serve are from historically underserved communities. As a result, many have had less access to resources. The families and youth that we serve seek to be a part of the BBBS program to connect their youth a positive role model who can provide support and representation. 

BBBS serves youth who represent all aspects of our communities but prioritizes youth from historically underserved communities and families who ask for immediate support. We pair these youth with screened and trained volunteer mentors in the community who play an important role in the youth’s life by providing educational support, helping develop social skills, and fostering a friendship that will help them achieve success and increase protective factors. Independent research provides support that BBBS has a positive impact on the community because youth are more likely to graduate high school, develop self-confidence and avoid risky behaviors, therefore leading them on a path of long-term success. It is our belief that when youth believe in themselves and what they can accomplish, they enjoy better relationships with friends, family, and peers, and help create safer, stronger communities.

BBBS offers a best-practice, research-based one-to-one youth mentoring program, pairing screened and trained adult mentors (“Bigs”) with children (“Littles”). The program includes:

• Site-Based Mentoring: Matches meet weekly at schools or community centers, focusing on career connections, JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion), STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math), and social-emotional learning. Staff facilitate activities and provide monthly coaching calls. Average match length is 1.5 years, with a cost of approximately $1,500 per match per year.
• Community-Based Mentoring: Matches meet 2–4 times per month for at least one year, with support from a Match Support Specialist. The program now allows youth to stay matched with their mentor until their 24th birthday. Average match length is over 3 years, with a cost of more than $2,000 per match per year.

• Career Mentoring and Exploration (CME): High school students (ages 15–21) participate in monthly mentorship with industry professionals, gaining hands-on career experience and culminating in internships and scholarships. The cost per match is $2,500. Recent expansion includes new fields such as banking/finance in Thurston County and forestry in Grays Harbor County.

As costs rise, fundraising becomes more challenging, making this a critical time to support youth and give them the confidence they need to succeed. Thank you for making youth in our community a priority!