Jewish Big Brother and Big Sister Association of Greater Boston (JBBBS)

Jbbbs seeks to transform the lives of vulnerable individuals through the power of one-to-one mentoring relationships. Jbbbs delivers on this mission through its two largest programs, the children's community program for youth ages 6-18, and our friend 2 friend program, for adults 18+ with minor to moderate disabilities. In both programs, jbbbs pairs an adult volunteer with an at-risk individual for support, guidance, role modeling, and friendship. Pairs spend recreational time together, pursuing activities of mutual interest in music, sports, arts and crafts and more. These friendships begin as fun outings but evolve over time, building bonds of trust. This trust and interaction fosters increases in self-confidence and self-esteem for our clients, and contributes to improved outcomes in their social and emotional behaviors and attitudes at school, at home, and in the community. In 2019, under the umbrella of the children's program, jbbbs launched a pilot mentoring program specifically for lgbtq+ youth, with the unique approach of providing lgbtq+ mentors, who can uniquely empathize through similar lived experiences. The backgrounds of all our clients are diverse, but the presence of a trusted adult friend is a welcome support - one that has the potential to make a significant impact, possibly a transformative one, in the life of that individual.