Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester – Community-Based Mentoring
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester, 1 S Washington St, Suites 100/405, Rochester, NY 14614
About
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester – Community-Based Mentoring matches each child with a mentor for one-to-one time together. Matches may choose activities such as sports, going to the beach, listening to music, taking a walk, going to a museum, playing in the park, riding bikes, heading to the zoo, doing arts and crafts, fruit picking, visiting area colleges, going bowling, hanging out and chatting, eating out, attending sports events, going to movies, or sightseeing.
• Ages: 8–14 years old
• Schedule: Bigs and Littles meet for a few hours once per week; some matches meet on weekends and others in the evenings
With over 39 years of experience, the agency creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. In the Community-Based program, each child is matched with a mentor according to shared interests, hobbies, personality, and geography, and once matched, the volunteer picks up the child at his or her home. Parents and guardians approve the selection of the Big Brother or Big Sister, approve activities and outings, and are provided with respect, frequent check-ins, and inclusion in every aspect of the match relationship. The agency enrolls children between the ages of 8–14 in the Monroe, Ontario, Yates, Wayne, and Livingston counties.
The agency states that its programs focus less on specific problems after they occur and more on meeting youths’ most basic developmental needs. In a cited study, matched children met with their Big Brothers or Big Sisters about three times a month for an average of one year. According to the same study, matched youth were 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27% less likely to begin using alcohol, 52% less likely to skip school, 37% less likely to skip a class, and 33% less likely to hit someone, and studies find that children matched with a Big are more confident and more likely to avoid use of drugs and alcohol, more likely to improve academically, and get along better with their peers and family.
Karen J. Mathis, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s President and CEO, stated, “We have known all along that Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring has a long-lasting, positive effect on children’s confidence, grades, and social skills,” and also said, “When Little Brothers and Little Sisters feel good about themselves, they can positively impact their friends and families, their schools, and their communities. And as this important study has shown, these young people believe in themselves because a Big Brother or Big Sister believed in them.” Gary Walker, then-President of Public/Private Ventures, said of the research, “These dramatic findings are very good news, particularly at a time when many people contend that ‘nothing works’ in reaching teenagers.”
Last updated February 5, 2026.
• Ages: 8–14 years old
• Schedule: Bigs and Littles meet for a few hours once per week; some matches meet on weekends and others in the evenings
With over 39 years of experience, the agency creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. In the Community-Based program, each child is matched with a mentor according to shared interests, hobbies, personality, and geography, and once matched, the volunteer picks up the child at his or her home. Parents and guardians approve the selection of the Big Brother or Big Sister, approve activities and outings, and are provided with respect, frequent check-ins, and inclusion in every aspect of the match relationship. The agency enrolls children between the ages of 8–14 in the Monroe, Ontario, Yates, Wayne, and Livingston counties.
The agency states that its programs focus less on specific problems after they occur and more on meeting youths’ most basic developmental needs. In a cited study, matched children met with their Big Brothers or Big Sisters about three times a month for an average of one year. According to the same study, matched youth were 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27% less likely to begin using alcohol, 52% less likely to skip school, 37% less likely to skip a class, and 33% less likely to hit someone, and studies find that children matched with a Big are more confident and more likely to avoid use of drugs and alcohol, more likely to improve academically, and get along better with their peers and family.
Karen J. Mathis, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America’s President and CEO, stated, “We have known all along that Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring has a long-lasting, positive effect on children’s confidence, grades, and social skills,” and also said, “When Little Brothers and Little Sisters feel good about themselves, they can positively impact their friends and families, their schools, and their communities. And as this important study has shown, these young people believe in themselves because a Big Brother or Big Sister believed in them.” Gary Walker, then-President of Public/Private Ventures, said of the research, “These dramatic findings are very good news, particularly at a time when many people contend that ‘nothing works’ in reaching teenagers.”
Last updated February 5, 2026.
Is this your business? There is no cost, but you will be asked to sign up or log in.