Our Programs

Community Based -
The traditional
Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. Individuals age 16+, couples and families are matched with children ages 7-15.
For a minimum of one year, Bigs generally spend 4-6 hours per month with their Little.

SWIM- (Sharing With Insulin-using Mentors) BBBS, along with the U.P. Diabetes Outreach Network, Bell Hospital and Marquette General Health System started this program to provide help and support to youth with type 1 diabetes. Children with type 1 diabetes are matched with diabetic mentors for a unique and supportive friendship. 

 F.I.S.H. -  (Finding Inspiration, Sharing Horizons) BBBS has partnered with Judge Anderegg and the Marquette County Juvenile Court to provide service centered mentoring to youth in the court system. Similar to Community Based Mentoring, matches in this program will participate in at least one community service activity each month.

School Based -
This program is on-site at local schools. We match Junior and Senior high school students with elementary school students. They meet once a week for the entire school year.

Lunch Buddies -- Lunch Buddies is an on-site program that allows community members to meet twice a month with a child at school. The volunteer meets with their "lunch buddy" during their lunch/recess period for the entire school year.

Campus Kids -- This program is on-site at one of Northern Michigan University residence halls. This is a bi-weekly program where children in our community are matched with a carefully screened college volunteer from NMU. Meetings are supervised by BBBS staff. Matches spend time working on school work, playing games or chit-chatting.

Yellow Ribbon Kids - BBBS has teamed up with the Family Readiness Group of the National Guard Armory of Ishpeming to offer mentors to children who have a family member deployed or away from home. Similar to the Community Based Program, the match lasts for the duration of the family member's deployment or longer.

BSU & U Program- This program matches mentors from Northern Michigan University's Black Student Union Organization  with boys and girls from the Salvation Army Rec Center in Gwinn. Matches meet as a group twice a month throughout the school year.

Experience the Magic:

Our Movie

Big Brothers Big Sisters

100 Years of Youth Mentoring

Big Brothers Big Sisters History

  What's New:

Donate

BRAND NEW -
Check out our 40th Anniversary VIDEO!

New Website...
coming in 2010!

S.W.I.M. PROGRAM
(Sharing With Insulin-using Mentors)

Join our partners in the SWIM Program
by participating/supporting the 6th
Annual Teal Lake Swim for Diabetes.
https://www.msu.edu/~grossm51/TealLakeSwim/

Bowl For Kids' Sake 2009

Check out the BFKS Radio Spot
 with Big Brother Bill Flainigan
& Little Brother Taylor

MEN-tors Needed!

Read REAL LIFE stories by Bigs
across the country!

SUBMIT YOUR STORY TODAY!

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Have a free lunch
hour at least
 2 times a month?
 Be a Lunch Buddy!

Big Brother Honored

Big Brother Cory Rowe, with his Little
Brother JoJo on the right and JoJo's
brother, Bryce on the left. Cory is a
Finalist for the Governor’s Service
Awards 2008 in the category of Mentor of
the Year.