Big Brothers and Sisters of Canada
Encyclopedia
Big Brothers Big Sisters is a charitable organization which matches adult volunteers to children needing adult mentoring. Founded over 80 years ago, there are over 170 agencies across Canada
providing support to over 300 communities. As well as a traditional program, where one adult is matched with one same-sex child, new programs include Couples for Kids, Cross-Gender Matching, Internet
Mentoring, and Life Skills
Programs.
Big Brothers and Big Sisters are volunteers who mentor children, ages 6 through 18.
The movement began in 1904, when a young New York City
court clerk named Ernest Coulter was seeing more and more boys come through his courtroom. He recognized that caring adults could help many of these kids stay out of trouble, and he set out to find volunteers. That marked the beginning of the Big Brothers movement. By 1916, Big Brothers had spread to 96 cities across the United States
.
At around the same time, the members of a group called Ladies of Charity were befriending girls who had come through the New York Children’s Court. That group later became Catholic Big Sisters.
In 1912, similar events took place in Canada
and the first Canadian Big Sister agency formed in Toronto. Closely afterwards, in 1913, the first Canadian Big Brother program began in Toronto
.
Both groups continued to work independently until 1977, when Big Brothers of America and Big Sisters International (in America) joined forces and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. In 2001 a similar merger occurred between the two Canadian organizations and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada was formed. Interest grew from outside North America, spurring the formation of Big Brothers Big Sisters International to help other countries get started and facilitate communications between countries running similar programs.
Big Brothers Big Sisters operates in all 50 U.S. states, in 10 Canadian Provinces and one territory, and in 35 countries.
Couples for Kids, Cross Gender Matching, Internet Mentoring, In-School Mentoring, Big Bunch and Kids 'n' Kops group programs (for kids waiting for a one-to-one match), and new Life Skills Programs all provide opportunities for volunteering and support to children and youth.
Big Brothers Big Sisters International headquarters is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, USA.
1903 - Businessman Irvin F. Westheimer befriends a young boy in Cincinnati, Ohio
; seeds are formed for the start of Big Brothers in Cincinnati.
1904 - Ernest Coulter founds the organized Big Brothers movement by obtaining 39 volunteers, who each agree to befriend one boy.
1912 - The New York Times reports Big Brothers activity in 26 U.S. cities
1912 - The first Canadian Big Sister program begins in Toronto.
1913 - The first Canadian Big Brother agency forms in Toronto.
1916 - Big Brothers work spreads to 96 U.S. cities.
1917 - The first national conference of Big Brothers and Big Sisters organizations is held in Grand Rapids, Michigan
, leading to the later organization of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation.
1923 - Big Sisters work geared to African-Americans is underway in Louisville
, Kentucky
and Brooklyn
, New York. Theodore Roosevelt
, Jr., becomes treasurer of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation. First motion picture based on a Big and Little Brother relationship is released by Paramount Pictures.
1925 - Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation holds its first conference for agency executives. President Calvin Coolidge
becomes patron of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation.
1934 - President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
become patrons of Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation.
1940 - U.S. National Committee on Big Brothers and Big Sisters service is created to continue to pursue the formation of a national group.
1947 - Big Brothers Association headquarters opens in Philadelphia.
1948 - Norman Rockwell
produces the sketch that becomes a symbol for the Big Brothers Association.
1951 - Big Brothers of the Year Program begins, Associate Justice Tom Clark of the U.S. Supreme Court and J. Edgar Hoover
are named.
1958 - Big Brothers Association is chartered by Congress.
1969 - Big Brothers Association grows to 150 affiliated agencies.
1970 - Big Sisters International is incorporated.
1971 - Big Brothers Association reports 208 affiliates.
1974 - The first provincial Big Sisters conference was held in Canada and delegates from across Ontario joined to share experiences, exchange ideas and participate in educational seminars.
1975 - There are almost 100 agencies with 5,200 matches in Canada. The Big Sisters Association of Ontario (provincial) is formally established.
1977 - Big Sisters International and Big Brothers Association merge, forming Big Brothers Big Sisters of America with 357 agencies.
1980 - 150 Canadian agencies are serving 7,200 children.
1981 - The Big Sisters Association of Ontario (provincial) is formally incorporated.
1984 - Big Brothers Big Sisters of America occupies its new headquarters at 230 North 13th Street in Philadelphia.
1985 - Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is honored with a commemorative stamp by the Postmaster General
.
1995 - American Public/Private Ventures Study research shows measurable results on youth who have a Big Brother or Sister.
1998 - Big Brothers Big Sisters International is founded.
2001 - Big Sisters and Big Brothers organizations in Canada merge into one, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.
2004 - Big Brothers Big Sisters of America celebrates 100 years of serving America’s youth.
In 2013, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada will celebrate their 100th anniversary
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
providing support to over 300 communities. As well as a traditional program, where one adult is matched with one same-sex child, new programs include Couples for Kids, Cross-Gender Matching, Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
Mentoring, and Life Skills
Life skills
Life skills are problem solving behaviors used appropriately and responsibly in the management of personal affairs. They are a set of human skills acquired via teaching or direct experience that are used to handle problems and questions commonly encountered in daily human life...
Programs.
Big Brothers and Big Sisters are volunteers who mentor children, ages 6 through 18.
The movement began in 1904, when a young New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
court clerk named Ernest Coulter was seeing more and more boys come through his courtroom. He recognized that caring adults could help many of these kids stay out of trouble, and he set out to find volunteers. That marked the beginning of the Big Brothers movement. By 1916, Big Brothers had spread to 96 cities across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
At around the same time, the members of a group called Ladies of Charity were befriending girls who had come through the New York Children’s Court. That group later became Catholic Big Sisters.
In 1912, similar events took place in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the first Canadian Big Sister agency formed in Toronto. Closely afterwards, in 1913, the first Canadian Big Brother program began in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
Both groups continued to work independently until 1977, when Big Brothers of America and Big Sisters International (in America) joined forces and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. In 2001 a similar merger occurred between the two Canadian organizations and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada was formed. Interest grew from outside North America, spurring the formation of Big Brothers Big Sisters International to help other countries get started and facilitate communications between countries running similar programs.
Big Brothers Big Sisters operates in all 50 U.S. states, in 10 Canadian Provinces and one territory, and in 35 countries.
Big Brothers Big Sisters in Canada
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada provides mentoring programs to more than 1000 Canadian communities through over 128 local agencies. Founded on one-to-one matching, men and women (age 18 or older) give their time to become a mentor to a child.Couples for Kids, Cross Gender Matching, Internet Mentoring, In-School Mentoring, Big Bunch and Kids 'n' Kops group programs (for kids waiting for a one-to-one match), and new Life Skills Programs all provide opportunities for volunteering and support to children and youth.
Big Brothers Big Sisters International
Big Brothers Big Sisters International was founded in 1998. BBBS International's mission is to promote and support the development of Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring programs throughout the world, operating independently in various countries. This is done by providing consultation, technical assistance, training and materials for NGOs wanting to develop this mentoring model.Big Brothers Big Sisters International headquarters is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, USA.
Timeline
1902 - Ernest Coulter, court clerk, helps organize the first New York Children's Court; Ladies of Charity, later Catholic Big Sisters of New York, starts to befriend girls who come before the New York Children's Court.1903 - Businessman Irvin F. Westheimer befriends a young boy in Cincinnati, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
; seeds are formed for the start of Big Brothers in Cincinnati.
1904 - Ernest Coulter founds the organized Big Brothers movement by obtaining 39 volunteers, who each agree to befriend one boy.
1912 - The New York Times reports Big Brothers activity in 26 U.S. cities
1912 - The first Canadian Big Sister program begins in Toronto.
1913 - The first Canadian Big Brother agency forms in Toronto.
1916 - Big Brothers work spreads to 96 U.S. cities.
1917 - The first national conference of Big Brothers and Big Sisters organizations is held in Grand Rapids, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, leading to the later organization of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation.
1923 - Big Sisters work geared to African-Americans is underway in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
and Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York. Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, Jr., becomes treasurer of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation. First motion picture based on a Big and Little Brother relationship is released by Paramount Pictures.
1925 - Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation holds its first conference for agency executives. President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
becomes patron of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation.
1934 - President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
become patrons of Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation.
1940 - U.S. National Committee on Big Brothers and Big Sisters service is created to continue to pursue the formation of a national group.
1947 - Big Brothers Association headquarters opens in Philadelphia.
1948 - Norman Rockwell
Norman Rockwell
Norman Percevel Rockwell was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator. His works enjoy a broad popular appeal in the United States for their reflection of American culture. Rockwell is most famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios he created for The Saturday Evening...
produces the sketch that becomes a symbol for the Big Brothers Association.
1951 - Big Brothers of the Year Program begins, Associate Justice Tom Clark of the U.S. Supreme Court and J. Edgar Hoover
J. Edgar Hoover
John Edgar Hoover was the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States. Appointed director of the Bureau of Investigation—predecessor to the FBI—in 1924, he was instrumental in founding the FBI in 1935, where he remained director until his death in 1972...
are named.
1958 - Big Brothers Association is chartered by Congress.
1969 - Big Brothers Association grows to 150 affiliated agencies.
1970 - Big Sisters International is incorporated.
1971 - Big Brothers Association reports 208 affiliates.
1974 - The first provincial Big Sisters conference was held in Canada and delegates from across Ontario joined to share experiences, exchange ideas and participate in educational seminars.
1975 - There are almost 100 agencies with 5,200 matches in Canada. The Big Sisters Association of Ontario (provincial) is formally established.
1977 - Big Sisters International and Big Brothers Association merge, forming Big Brothers Big Sisters of America with 357 agencies.
1980 - 150 Canadian agencies are serving 7,200 children.
1981 - The Big Sisters Association of Ontario (provincial) is formally incorporated.
1984 - Big Brothers Big Sisters of America occupies its new headquarters at 230 North 13th Street in Philadelphia.
1985 - Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is honored with a commemorative stamp by the Postmaster General
Postmaster General of Canada
The Postmaster General of Canada was the Canadian cabinet minister responsible for the Post Office Department . In 1851, management of the post office was transferred from Britain to the provincial governments of the Province of Canada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward...
.
1995 - American Public/Private Ventures Study research shows measurable results on youth who have a Big Brother or Sister.
1998 - Big Brothers Big Sisters International is founded.
2001 - Big Sisters and Big Brothers organizations in Canada merge into one, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.
2004 - Big Brothers Big Sisters of America celebrates 100 years of serving America’s youth.
In 2013, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada will celebrate their 100th anniversary
Sources
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada - Mission
- Big Brothers Big Sisters International - who we are
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America - our history