Big Brothers Big Sisters of London and Area

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of London and Area

Big Brothers Big Sisters of London and Area is a community organization located in the Manor Park neighbourhood on Wharncliffe Rd S. The organization serves the local community by providing mentoring programs for children and youth facing adversity, whom they refer to as Littles. These youth are matched with caring adult volunteers known as Bigs to help them build self-esteem, create community connections, and reach their full potential. The organization offers various mentoring structures, including community matches that meet twice a month and school matches that occur weekly. They also provide the Fred J. Watkins Scholarship Program, which was established in 2021 to provide children with limited means the opportunity to pursue post-secondary education. The organization describes its work as a way to ignite health, learning, and careers for the youth it serves. The organization has championed youth health and wellbeing for over 50 years. It is part of an international movement that began in New York in 1904. Locally, the roots of the organization date back to 1971, when a court judge named Maurice Genest led the formation of a committee to support young people in his courts. In 1973, Dr. Carol Brooks formed a committee to assess the needs of young girls, leading to the creation of Big Sisters of London. The two entities merged in 2009 to become Big Brothers Big Sisters of London and Area. The organization is currently led by Executive Director Lisa McIntosh.