Little Sister Breyonne’ is a 12-year-old activist and philanthropist. In fifth grade, she saw that her route home from school was dangerous, so she tried to secure a crossing guard. “All my friends walk home from school, and I did not think it was safe,” she says. “Some have to walk over a mile home and cross busy streets.” She didn’t just talk to the principal. With her Big Sister, she took her fight to the City Council.
In third grade, Kaleb was sent out of class almost every day because of his disruptive behavior. He often got suspended from school entirely. Having a supportive mom and great teachers trying to guide him wasn’t enough – Kaleb needed a Big Brother.
Little Sister Samantha beamed confidently from the pageant stage. Watching from the crowd, her Big Sister thought about the shy little girl her Little used to be. On stage, Samantha was almost a different person. “She exuded a confidence that I would have never known existed when I first met her,” Big Sister Megan says.
Smoking, drinking, and skipping school are thought of as teenage problems. But when your childhood has been a rollercoaster of loss and abuse, everything is accelerated. At age 10, Little Brother Nick already found himself ditching class and abusing alcohol. He finally turned things around with the help of his Big Brother.
When Little Sister America wanted to dye her hair a bright aquamarine, her Big Sister Laura brought her to a trusted friend’s hair salon. When America wanted a piercing, her Big Sister Laura made sure the piercer was licensed and reputable. “She has never judged me when I wanted something that some people would think was crazy,” America says. “She always listens to what I want, encourages me to communicate with my mother, and helps me understand all of the pros and cons.”
Big Brother Todd and Little Brother Tyrone, “T.J.,” were matched when T.J. was 7. At…
The year Aaqila turned 7, everything changed. Her mother moved her from Chicago to Springfield. She changed schools. She was surrounded by fewer kids who looked like her. Not long after their move, Aaqila’s mom told her that she was no longer going to be an only child – a little sister was on the way.
Every Friday night for years, Big Brother John sat on a bleacher, cheering on his…
Big Sister Dawn raised her two sons and called herself the “tomboy mom.” She taught her boys the traditionally male and female roles in their household, and felt comfortable raising boys. When her boys moved out and she felt that “empty nest” feeling, she volunteered to be a Big Sister. She asked for a Little Brother and was matched with Little Brother Philip, who was 8.
Growing up an only child of a single mom can be lonely, so Little Brother Evan was more than ready for camaraderie and adventure when he was matched with Big Brother Nick, then an MIT student, nine years ago. “Nick and I play sports together sometimes, and he inspires me to work hard to be like him,” Evan says. Through hockey, Nick showed Evan how to be a good teammate, be confident, and challenge himself.
