Mentoring Works!

Big Brothers Big Sisters of America's mentoring program is nationally recognized and proven to be effective:

  • The Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence at University of Colorado at Boulder recognizes Big Brothers Big Sisters as a "Blueprint" program.
  • The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Dropout Prevention Center both recognize Big Brothers Big Sisters as a "model program."
  • The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention designated Big Brothers Big Sisters' program a "Best Practice."
  • The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention rated Big Brothers Big Sisters as "effective."
  • The Children's Defense Fund states that mentoring through Big Brothers Big Sisters has been "proven successful" in prevention activities.
  • Forbes chose Big Brothers Big Sisters as one of its "top ten" most effective and well-run non-profit organizations in the United States.

As a result of participation, our Little Brothers and Little Sisters:

  • Have better attitudes towards school,
  • Get along better with adults and peers,
  • Have better self-esteem, and
  • Have a better sense of their future.

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Types of Programs

Our programs are designed to serve youth by providing them with safe, quality mentoring relationships that help them reach their full potential by:

  • improving their sense of self and community;
  • improving their attitudes toward learning and school;
  • learning to avoid negative or delinquent behavior.

We serve youth through three core programs:

  • Community Based Mentoring -The original Big Brothers Big Sisters program in which each Big and Little Match meets in the community during days and times of their own choosing and determines activities based on common interests.  Community Based Mentoring includes the REACH mentoring which serves children who have an incarcerated parent.
  • Site Based Mentoring - Programs in which each Big and Little meet regularly at a specific, supervised location where they build friendships and participate in activities in a structured environment.  Site Based Mentoring includes School Based Mentoring and ASPIRE mentoring at Warren Village.
  • Activity Based Mentoring - Programs in which each Big and Little meet regularly to participate in pre-planned and supervised activities around a specific theme. Activity Based mentoring includes the Sports Buddies, Golf Buddies and Art Buddies programs.

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Meeting Community Needs

Big Brothers Big Sisters focuses our services on the rapidly growing number of elementary aged youth who qualify for Free and Reduced School lunch (live at or below 185% of Poverty) and who live with a single parent or caregiver.  We estimate that there are over 33,000 such youth living in metro Denver and Colorado Springs based on our analysis of Colorado Department of Education school enrollment data and the US Census. Students living in poverty and near the poverty line face significant barriers to success in school and are more likely to engage in risky behavior resulting in drug use, gang activity, violence and teen pregnancy.  To combat these risk factors, Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs provide youth with a caring adult mentor and friend.

Big Brothers Big Sisters provided nearly half of all volunteer mentors in metro Denver, and over 90% of all volunteer mentors in Colorado Springs in 2007. Of the youth we served:

  • Over 90% live in low-income, single-parent families
  • 1 out of 4 have a parent in prison
  • dozens are transitionally homeless and receive TANF assistance

Click here to view our service area. This does not disclude surounding areas, but shows the primary communities we serve.

Our agency is not only changing individual lives, we are also having a community-wide impact.

Kids we serve

We serve children in Metro Denver and Colorado Springs areas who are between the ages of 7 and 17. Children enrolled in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Community Program come from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. The following are some common issues children in our program are facing or backgrounds they come from:

  • Children of a single parent.
  • Children of an incarcerated parent.
  • Children with one or both parents deceased.
  • Children in the custody of extended family members.
  • Children in the custody of foster parents.
  • Homeless children.
  • Children in temporary housing.
  • Children having experienced traumatic events in their lives.
  • Children having experienced neglect or abuse in the past.
  • Children needing guidance from a mentor outside their family.

Our programs are delivered 100% by community volunteers who generously give of their time to help youth. Children who are ill suited for our program are as follows:

  • Children currently in an abusive situation or who have not had outside counseling regarding an abusive situation (these children should seek professional counseling).
  • Children who do not want to be enrolled in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program.
  • Children who do not have permission from their legal guardian to be enrolled in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program.
  • Children of parents who are merely looking for a babysitter for their children.

Referrals of children to our program come from a wide range of people involved in the child's life and can include:

  • Parents
  • Extended Family Members
  • Neighbors or Family Friends
  • School Teachers
  • School Counselors
  • Outside or Private Counselors or Therapists
  • Coaches
  • Leaders of organizations such as Boy/Girl Scouts

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Refer a Child

There are 3 ways to refer a child:

  1. Call Us: 303.433.6002
  2. Print this PDF form and mail to:
          2420 W 26th Ave Ste 450-D
          Denver, CO 80211
  3. Submit our online referral form.

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