Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest and largest youth mentoring organization in the United States. Trained professionals recruit, screen, match and support Big and Little Brothers and Sisters through a network of 470 agencies throughout the country. These one-to-one mentoring relationships between caring adults and children have documented positive outcomes for the children.
Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves more than 220,000 children, ages six through 18, in 5,000 communities across all 50 states.
Big Brothers Big Sisters has a goal to serve one million children annually by 2010.
Research and anecdotal evidence show that Little Brothers and Sisters are less likely to do drugs, drink alcohol, skip school or engage in acts of violence. They have greater self-esteem, more success at school and better relationships with their friends and families than their peers who are not in the program.
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 Dec. 3, 1904, Coulter appealed to those present to take on the role of a “Big Brother.” All 39 men present stepped forward, creating the movement that is now Big Brothers Big Sisters. In the decades to follow, Big Brothers and Big Sisters programs sprang up throughout the country and today, Big Brothers Big Sisters is the leading youth mentoring organization in the United States.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of La Plata County has been established since 1984 and began serving the area in 1985 when the first match was made. The Archuleta County office opened in 2000. The name was changed to Big Brothers Big Sister of Southwest Colorado in 2008.
