Two Boston-Area Youth Mentoring Organizations Merge to Support Even More Kids in Need
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM) and the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston (BSAGB) announced on Wednesday, Feb. 19, that the two organizations are merging to expand one-on-one youth mentoring programs and provide support resources for children, families, and volunteer mentors across the Boston region. This announcement comes after several months of strategic planning from both organizations, in which the organizations have agreed to operate as one entity under BSM.
BBBSEM President & CEO Mark O’Donnell stated in a news release that the merger of the two organizations would benefit Boston-area youth. “The merger with Big Sister Association of Greater Boston will help us to expand girls’ programming outside of Boston and help to further our collective impact across the region to ensure young people have consistent access to mentorship,” he stated.
BBBSEM will maintain BSAGB partnerships and programs as part of its merger agreements, giving the BBBSEM team opportunities to develop and grow gender-specific programs. Adult mentors and youth mentees through BBBSEM — referred to as Bigs and Littles — will continue to receive mentorship support from BBBSEM staff members.
The release also noted that one part-time and six full-time staff members from BSAGB have joined the BBBSEM team. Nearly 300 BSAGB community-supported matches and more than 80 site-based matches have made the transition with their mentoring relationships to BBBSEM.
Annissa Essaibi George, BSAGB’s president and CEO, said, “The merger with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts will lead to expanded gender-intentional programming and a strengthening of the power of that sisterhood to more female-identifying youth. By working together, we will create a brighter future for more young people in Greater Boston, equipping them with the tools and confidence to reach their full potential.”
BBBSEM has been serving its community for more than 76 years. It is the second largest Big Brother Big Sister affiliate in the nation. Over the past seven decades, BBBSEM has supported more than 25,000 mentoring matches. Learn more on the BBBSEM website.
