AUGUST 2022 ISSUE

Dear friends,

Full disclosure: Summer is my favorite season, and every year as it starts to slip away, it makes me feel the pull of transitions. But this year in particular, fall brings with it excitement, especially around back-to-school time!

During the pandemic years, school closures and safety measures put our Site-Based Mentoring program -- where Big Sisters meet with their Little Sisters at the Little Sisters’ school -- largely on hold. This year, we are back. Big and Little Sisters who have creatively maintained their relationships throughout the pandemic will be reunited. New matches will be made in schools. In partnership with Boston Public Schools and Cambridge Public Schools, we will focus on supporting girls’ social-emotional well-being and academic achievement through the power of positive mentoring relationships.

Our partners are just as invested in supporting girls in school as we are. During a recent visit with our site contact at the Eliot School in Boston’s North End, we were told: “We believe in Big Sister Boston! The organization is an incredible support to our young women across the city who benefit tremendously from the mentorship, support, and guidance.” They know, as we do, that when girls’ unique development trajectories are at the forefront, girls thrive.

During my tenure at Big Sister, we’ve developed programming within our Site-Based Mentoring that has deepened our impact and expanded our reach. High School Mentoring has a two-fold benefit: Little Sisters from the Trotter Innovation School have a caring and consistent mentor from the neighboring Boston Latin Academy, and the teen Big Sisters from BLA participate in our Girls Leadership Program, which offers them coaching and guidance on leadership skills and being an effective mentor. Our Workplace Mentoring Program provides a unique opportunity for our Little Sisters even as the workplace landscape continues to shift. Whether meeting virtually or in-person, our Workplace Mentoring Big and Little Sisters develop meaningful mentoring relationships that also allow our Little Sisters to explore career possibilities.

So as summer comes to a close and my time to say good-bye to Big Sister draws nearer, I’m looking forward to a bright future of Big Sister Boston being back in schools. I’m looking forward to those joyful reunions and tentative first meetings that soon blossom into special friendships. I’m looking forward to a school year of possibility for all our Little Sisters – to learn better, be bolder, and dream bigger because they have a caring Big Sister in their lives.

In gratitude,

Deborah Re
President & CEO, Big Sister Boston

Big Fun in the Sun!

Last month, Big Sister hosted our largest in-person Big and Little Sister activity since the pandemic began. Twenty-four matches enjoyed fun in the sun with our staff at the Shirley Eustis House in Roxbury! Big and Little Sisters not only got to know each other better, they had the opportunity to meet other matches face-to-face. The day included plenty of outdoor activities, hula-hooping and water games, crafts like decorating planters filled with seeds to take home and making kites. And, what summer day isn't complete without a cold treat? Big and Little Sisters received a special delivery of ice cream from JP Licks to cool off!

Donate Your Gently Used Items!

Done with your spring cleaning and don't know what to do with the bags of items you cleaned out of your closets? Donate your gently used clothing and household items to the Big Brother Big Sister Foundation.