Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Arizona, Inc.

The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson, Inc. is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.

The purpose of the program is to match and support one-on-one mentoring relationships between responsible adults and children. Meeting consistently, the volunteer becomes a positive influence on the child, contributing to his/her development.

Volunteer applicants are carefully and comprehensively screened. This screening process includes an in-person interview, professional and personal reference checks, a driver's license check, sexual offender background check, criminal background check and staff evaluation.

A match is made between an adult (individual or couple) and a child based on mutual interest, a volunteer's strengths, a child's need, personality and compatibility.

The relationship is monitored by professional staff members through phone calls and in-person contacts.

To help support matches, as well as introduce matches to each other, monthly outings throughout Tucson are provided for all active matches.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson (BBBST) began in 1963 as a Big Brothers program. In June of 1973 the agency was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) non-profit Arizona corporation. In 1976, the agency affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Big Sisters of Tucson was founded in 1974 and merged with Big Brothers of Tucson to form BBBST in June, 1980.

Since that time, BBBST has followed the best practices in mentoring for youth development as developed, maintained and enhanced by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, of which BBBST is separate 501(c)(3) affiliate. The collective experiences of other BBBS affiliates is shared through meetings, conferences, Internet-based channels for Q & A requests for assistance, examples of what works best and simply sharing of capabilities and experiences.

We have accomplished and maintained approximately 550 matches between Bigs and Littles with relationships that require only a couple of hours two or three times a month, but often result in lon-term if not lifelong connections.

What we have not yet accomplished is recruiting enough qualified volunteers to serve as Bigs to the nearly 200 on a waiting list for such matches.

We are vigorously pursuing the resolution of that shortfall through increased efforts in volunteer recruitment, knowing well the fact that there are hundreds more youth in the greater Tucson area that could experience similar positive outcomes and improved outlooks for their future.