Our Vision
All youth achieve their full potential.
IN A WORLD OF CAUSES, WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY CREATING PROFESSIONALLY SUPPORTED, ON-TO-ONE MATCHES FOR KIDS WHO WANT TO REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL.
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HISTORY THAT SPANS MORE THAN A CENTURY
For more than a century, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been helping change kids’ perspectives and giving them the opportunity to reach their potential. And we have more than a century of volunteers, donors, and advocates just like you to thank.
It all started in 1904, when a young New York City court clerk named Ernest Coulter was seeing more and more boys come through his courtroom. This act marked the beginning of the Big Brothers movement.
At around the same time, members of a group called Ladies of Charity were befriending girls who had come through the New York Children’s Court. That group would later become Catholic Big Sisters.
Both groups continued to work independently until 1977, when Big Brothers Association and Big Sisters International joined forces and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
More than 100 years later, Big Brothers Big Sisters remains true to our founders’ vision of bringing caring role models into the lives of children. And, today, Big Brothers Big Sisters currently operates in all 50 states—and in 12 countries around the world.
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BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
IN THE MINING CITY
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In 1966, a staff member of the Neighborhood Center (a component of the Butte-Silver Bow Anti-Poverty Council), Dick Spurck founded Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butte when he asked for and received, approval to spend some time organizing a Big Brother Program in Butte.
Big Brothers of Butte was incorporated in 1967, the first such organization in Montana. At that time, it affiliated with the National Organization, Big Brothers of America. In 1977, Big Sisters was organized in Butte to compliment Big Brothers. The two groups merged in the same year along side Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
Our Mission
Create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
Big Brothers Big Sisters is the ONLY prevention program in Montana proven to affect a broad range of social issues. Program evaluations consistently show that after entering the program, children are less likely to become delinquent, use alcohol, tobacco or drugs, become pregnant or drop out of school. Thus, investing in Big Brothers Big Sisters is more cost effective than investing in single issue prevention programs.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO CREATE POTENTIAL. YOU JUST HAVE TO DEFEND IT.
Accountability
By partnering with parents/guardians, volunteers and others in the community we are accountable for each child in our program achieving:
• Higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships.
• Avoidance of risky behaviors.
• Better option of graduating High School and College.
