OUR MISSION
Simply put, Big Brothers Big Sisters helps children by adding another positive adult to their lives in the form of a mentor.
We make meaningful, professionally supported matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 5 through young adults, throughout Yellowstone County. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.
Through the generosity of various funding sources, including individual donors, corporations, governmental entities, and foundations, we have the resources necessary to carry out our mission, including conducting background checks on volunteers to ensure child safety. Donor support also allows us to provide ongoing support for children, families, and volunteers to build and sustain long-lasting relationships, which are crucial to successful mentoring. Big Brothers Big Sisters is proven by independent research to improve children’s odds of succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol, and breaking negative cycles.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is the ONLY prevention program in Montana proven to affect a broad spectrum of risk factors (i.e., delinquency; alcohol, tobacco, and drug use; teen pregnancy; and school dropout) while simultaneously helping children reach their highest potential. The return on investment is higher across the board than dollars invested in single-issue prevention programs.
Every child has potential.
OUR MISSION, VISION, & ACCOUNTABILITY
Our Mission
To create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promises of youth.
Our Vision
That all youth achieve their full potential.
Our Accountability
We partner with parents/guardians, volunteers, and others in the community and hold ourselves accountable for each child in our program achieving:
Higher aspirations
Greater confidence
Avoidance of risky behaviors
Educational success
More positive relationships
OUR COMMITMENT
At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Yellowstone County, justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion are an integral part of our values and mission. We recognize, affirm, and celebrate the diverse backgrounds, lives, and experiences of all our stakeholders, including youth, families, donors, volunteers, and staff. We affirm that every person has the opportunity to reach their full potential. We strive to realize the full potential that is within all of us by ensuring that all voices and perspectives are heard and honored.
OUR IMPACT
Our programs start something.
Here's the proof. National and local research has shown that positive relationships between Littles and their Bigs have a direct and measurable impact on children's lives. By participating in our programs, Little Brothers and Sisters are:
More confident in their schoolwork performance
Able to get along better with their families
46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs
27% less likely to begin using alcohol
52% less likely to skip school
OUR HISTORY
For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and youth ("Littles") in communities across the country. We help develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.
A dedicated group of Yellowstone County residents founded Big Brothers Big Sisters of Yellowstone County in 1974. Today, our organization serves over 100 youth in our community.
Our work is as urgent now as it was at our founding. Together, our board, staff members, and community partners strive to defend the potential of every child in Yellowstone County.