About Us

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida has been the area’s leader in one-to-one youth service for more than 18 years.  We match caring, adult mentors with children ages 6 through 18 who come primarily from single-parent homes.

As a child, each one of us had someone there for us other than our parents, someone who broadened our horizons, pushed us to do better, and brought a little magic into our lives. A Big Brother or Big Sister does just that for the children in the community that need it the most. Our agency provides services in five counties including: Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton and Bay Counties.

Here at Big Brothers Big Sisters, our mission is to help children reach their potential by providing professionally supported, one-to-one relationships that have a measurable impact. We have proven success in developing positive relationships that have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of everyone involved – including the child, volunteer, families, and the community.

Little Moments. Big Magic. This is Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Who are Big Brothers Big Sisters?

Big Brothers and Big Sisters have helped children reach their potential through supported one-to-one relationships, with proven results. The history of the organization goes back more than a century.

In 1904, a young New York City court clerk named Ernest Coulter noticed that he was seeing more and more boys come through his courtroom. He recognized that caring adults could help many of these children 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 expanded to 96 cities across the country.

At around the same time, the members of a group called Ladies of Charities 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 of America and Big Sisters International joined forces and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.

When Navy Chaplain Elery Tyson received her orders to the Northwest Florida area in 1989, she wanted to serve as a Big Sister. However, there was no Big Brothers Big Sisters agency in the area. Determined to establish the nationally-known, premiere mentoring organization locally, she gathered a small but dynamic group in the fall of 1989. The vision of these volunteers and other supporters set the tone that has attracted outstanding board members and made possible the unparalleled success of our organization.