CREATING YOUTH MENTORING RELATIONSHIPS SINCE 1920

OUR STORY

About Us Hero Image

Something BIG started little in the Twin Cities

Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities has been creating and supporting youth mentoring relationships since 1920. Since our inception, more than half a million Twin Cities kids have had their lives changed for the better, forever.

Big Brothers Big Sisters was founded as an innovative alternative to the criminal justice system. In 1904, a compassionate young New York City court clerk named Ernest Coulter noticed more and more boys coming through his courtroom. He realized that caring adults could help keep these young men out of trouble and set out to find volunteers. And so began the Big Brothers movement.

Around the same time, a group called Ladies of Charity was similarly helping girls who came through the New York Children’s Court. Later, they would be known as the Catholic Big Sisters. Both groups worked independently until they joined forces and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America in 1977.

Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the most respected mentoring organization in the world, serving youth in all 50 states and 12 countries around the world. Minnesota is home to three Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies, Twin Cities (serving Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, and parts of Dakota and Washington Counties), Central Minnesota (serving Benton, Morrison, Sherburne, Stearns and northern Wright counties) and Southern Minnesota (serving Dodge, Rice, Steele and Waseca counties).

Locally, Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities is the largest and most experienced mentoring agency in the region.  Together, we’re proud to be part of something big!

Youth mentoring for over 100 years in Minnesota

• Committed to our mission, vision, values and JEDI (justice, equity, diversity and inclusion)
• Matching Twin Cities youth with mentors in Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, and parts of Dakota and Washington Counties
• Consistently ranked in the top 10% out of 230 Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies nationwide
• Caring and professional staff dedicated to youth safety, development and mentoring
Impacting the lives of more than 2,000 young people each year
• Providing events, opportunities and resources for Littles, their families and Bigs to keep matches going strong
• Supporting Littles throughout their developmental years to achieve their full potential

Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities in the News