Today, as never before in the history of Big Brothers Big Sisters, our organization is experiencing tremendous growth. At a time when public perception, media coverage and even recognition from the White House around mentoring is at an all-time high, Big Brothers Big Sisters is at the forefront of a significant national movement to provide a caring adult friend and role model who will make a difference in the life of a child.

Big Brothers Big Sisters growth and national profile has been spurred by a number of significant events and mileposts:

• A 1995 study of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring by Public Private Ventures showed dramatic reduction in the likelihood of alcohol and drug use, truancy and violent behavior
• The 1997 Presidential Summit set a goal for Big Brothers Big Sisters to double the number of children served by 2000
• A 1999 study funded by the UPS Foundation confirms positive results directly related to the Big Brothers Big Sisters school-based mentoring program
• In 2000, Big Brothers Big Sisters met the Presidential Summit goal by matching 196,000 children
• New Strategic Growth Plan established in 2000 sets objective of reaching one million children annually by 2010
• In 2003,President George W. Bush proposes major national mentoring initiative and highlights Big Brothers Big Sisters as a leader in the field
• 500 local affiliates serving over 5000 communities with strong representation in the Top 20 markets
• Over 260,000 volunteers matched with over 260,000 children plus their families, a professional staff of 5000 and 10,000 Board Members
• National volunteer recruitment campaign in 210 markets in collaboration with the Ad Council
• Associated with integrity and professionalism
• Has strong awareness among African Americans and Latinos
• Offers a solid and dedicated alumni base of approximately 2,500,000 that are primarily college graduates and full-time employees