Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 14 in communities across the country. BBBS develops positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people. Locally, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ithaca & Tompkins County, a program of the Ithaca Youth Bureau is choosing to honor the IYB’s 75th anniversary with the big goal of recruiting 75 new mentors!

Right now, BBBS of Ithaca & Tompkins county has an urgent need for volunteers. Specifically, for male-identified Bigs, Bigs of color, and Bigs who have a car (to reach some of the more outlying areas). We focus on making high-quality matches and need a larger pool of volunteers to do this.

More than 75 youth in Tompkins County are waiting to be matched with a Big, the majority of which are boys. The only way to ensure they get matched is for more adults to step up and volunteer to become Bigs. Being a Big means committing to spending a couple hours a week for one full year with a Little. Matches spend time doing things all sorts of things, often based on a shared interest such as playing basketball, doing arts and crafts, taking a hike, learning how to cook, etc.