What Makes Us Special

Strengthening our Community, Mentoring and Beyond
 

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island (BBBSRI) is the largest and oldest youth mentoring organization in the State of Rhode Island. The Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) oversee two 501(c)3 organizations with a shared mission: To create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

The two organizations are:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island — a mentoring organization for youth ages 7-25 that creates one-to-one mentoring relationships the ignite the power and promise of youth; and the 

• Donation Center Foundation of Rhode Island — a social enterprise that collects donations of used clothing and household goods for resale to generate funds to support the mentoring program expenses.
 

Our Donation Center opened in 1997. Donations are collected through a system of home pick-ups, community donation drop-off centers, community collection drives, and clothing donation bins. The Donation Center also operates profit-sharing partnerships with more than 130 Rhode Island non-profit organizations and municipalities which host clothing donation bins or clothing drives in exchange for revenue generated by the bin or box. Funding generated by the Donation Center operation accounts for 70% of BBBSRI’s annual operating income to support the more than 250 young people in our programs through mentorship, as well as 2500+ Rhode Islanders through case management, wrap-around services, emergency assistance, career exploration, emergency assistance, and more.  In 2024, we raised over $150,000 to nonprofit agencies and municipalities. Check out our Big Green Bin partner listing!

By donating unwanted clothing, linens, and small housewares, you can help generate funding and furthering our impact in the Rhode Island community. Our partnership with Savers Thrift Stores has been a key factor in allowing us to increase the number of children and families we serve.

A Holistic Approach

In 2016, BBBSRI began an Emergency Fund for families to answer the call for temporary assistance to families enrolled in BBBSRI who were struggling to provide essentials. Family support included gift cards for groceries, gas, and clothing. In 2020, the COVID-19 Pandemic forced the organization to consolidate its resources. At the same time, the needs of our families grew. With generous support from donors, BBBSRI began to provide financial assistance beyond emergencies to our families, including the distribution of Chromebooks so that our Littles could participate in schooling virtually.

In 2021, BBBSRI rethought the Fund and developed the Family Empowerment Investment Fund (FEIF). The FEIF provides opportunities for, and assistance to families of Littles (mentees) enrolled in BBBSRI. The FEIF accepts applications from all enrolled families on an ongoing basis. We make the process simple and empowering for our families. To date, we have provided over $40,000 for financial support for emergencies, enrichment opportunities, and out-of-classroom experiences.