You don’t have to be Houdini to create magic.

Think back to when you were a kid. Who was the person, other than a parent, who brought a little magic into your life just by being there? Who took you to your first ballgame? Who showed you how to find the North Star? Who made you laugh so hard your stomach hurt?

By becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister, you can be that person in the life of a child.

We don’t expect you to be perfect. You don’t need to be a childcare expert. And we certainly aren’t looking for foster parents.

Just be a friend to a child who needs one. Have fun together. Learn from each other. Help a child discover those little moments that are so magical for a young person. And you both will be forever changed by the experience.

When one plus one equals fun, that’s magic!

At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Pittsburgh, we believe that every child can benefit from a little more magic in his or her life.

We’re the region’s premier one-to-one mentoring organization – matching children ages 6 to 13 who live in Allegheny, Washington and Greene Counties. In fact, since 1965 we’ve successfully matched more than 13,000 area children with caring adult mentors.

The heart of our program is one-to-one mentoring. Caring adult volunteers are screened by our staff, given training, and then matched with a Little Brother or Little Sister whose family also is screened by our staff. Each match is assigned a Match Support Specialist who supports the relationship. The emphasis is on building a lasting friendship, allowing the child to build self-confidence and broaden his/her horizons.

A little magic an help keep a child from disappearing.

Our Little Brothers and Little Sisters are just typical kids. They like video games, riding their bikes, and watching cartoons.

Since many of them are from single-parent households, they just need an additional adult in their lives – someone to try new things with. Someone who’ll help them discover new possibilities. Someone who cares. A friend.

Without someone like you, they’re more likely to “slip through the cracks” one day and head in the wrong direction.

That’s why we think of our Big Brothers and Big Sisters as special people – people who make magic happen for deserving kids.

Mentoring is a trick just about anyone can do.

Our volunteers come in all shapes and sizes and from all walks of live. And each has something unique to offer. About the only things they have in common are a love of life, a concern for children, and a willingness to be a friend to a child who needs one.

In our traditional program, called Community-based Mentoring, our Bigs need to be at least 21 years old and high school graduates, but no age is too old. In fact, we know senior adults have a lot to offer kids today. We also have programs where high school and college students can become Bigs.

We just ask each Big to have regular contact with their Little for at least a year. That’s all it takes.

Do you believe in magic?

Mentoring works. Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring works best!

When matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister for at least a year, studies show that Littles are 46% less likely to start using drugs, 52% less likely to skip school, and 46% less likely to get arrested than other kids from single-parent homes. Our Littles also do better in school, they’re more tolerant, and they get along better with others.

Simply put, BBBS mentoring works because we make sure each match gets off to a good start. And we invest in professional support and supervision so that each match lasts. The results are truly magical.

Click Here to apply as a Big Brother or Big Sister.