Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, Inc.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida has been the area’s leader in one-to-one mentoring for 35 years by serving children ages 5-18 and beyond. Our goal is for our Littles to be self-sufficient and earning a living wage by the age of 25.  Our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Last year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida served 565 children in Northwest Florida. To learn more about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, please visit bbbsnwfl.org.

You have a BIG opportunity in front of you—to not only impact a child’s life today but to transform their potential for tomorrow. Life is busy. Commitment can be daunting. Big Brothers Big Sisters offers a mentoring program that is flexible and fulfilling at the same time. Bigs are asked to commit to volunteering for one year from the date that their match opens. As a Big, you will talk to your Little weekly, and see each other two or more times per month.

COMMUNITY BASED MENTORING supported by Pen Air

• This one-to-one mentoring option allows you the opportunity to pick up your Little Brother or Little Sister at his or her home and spend time together in the community 2-4 times a month with a weekly touchpoint via text, call, Facetime, etc.

SITE BASED MENTORING

• In this option, volunteers meet with their Little Brother or Little Sister one hour a week at a nearby school. Many volunteers visit on their way into work, during their lunch hour, or perhaps during a long break during the day. Some businesses allow their staff time off to mentor.

BIG DUO

• This option is the same as community-based mentoring, except the pair shares the responsibility of mentoring.

GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN 

• To help ease the burden of caregiving, this option offers our one-to-one mentoring support to the many grandparents raising their grandchildren.

BEYOND SCHOOL WALLS

• Our Beyond School Walls program is aimed at helping students improve their chances of graduating and transitioning to the workplace and/or post-secondary education. You can open up the doors of hope and opportunity for students by allowing them to shadow volunteer employee mentors in the workplace for just a few hours each month during the school year.

BIGS WITH BADGES 

• This option is a one-to-one mentoring program that connects youth and those with badges in communities throughout Northwest Florida, building strong, trusting, lasting relationships.

BIG FUTURES

• This program will provide additional services for matches helping Littles set and stay on an empowering path for life after high school, including career planning, enrolling in post-secondary education, assistance with financial aid, developing workplace skills, applying for scholarships, writing resumes, and applying for and interviewing for jobs.