Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State is helping young people across West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio find connection, encouragement, and trusted adult support through the power of mentorship. Led by Executive Director Stephanie Hurley Collier, the agency creates meaningful matches between “Bigs” and “Littles,” giving youth the opportunity to build relationships that can make a lasting difference in their lives.
For Big Brothers Big Sisters, mentorship is about more than spending time together. It is about creating genuine connections that help young people feel seen, supported, and encouraged. When a child is matched with a mentor who understands their interests and needs, something powerful can happen. Those relationships can help improve school attendance, support stronger grades, build self-esteem, and reduce feelings of depression and anxiety.
One family served through the organization’s Putnam County expansion is the Wilson family, a great-grandfamily raising five great-grandchildren. Each child has their own personality, interests, and challenges, and Big Brothers Big Sisters has worked to create personalized mentor matches for each of them.
For the family, the program has provided support, relief, and new opportunities. As the children have grown, it has become more difficult for their caregivers to travel from Huntington to Charleston for activities and experiences. Through Big Brothers Big Sisters, the children have been able to get out of the house, try new things, meet new people, and build relationships outside of their immediate family.
The impact is also meaningful for the mentors. One mentor shared that he had never been a big brother before, having grown up as the youngest of six. Through the program, he now has the opportunity to be a positive influence, offer encouragement, and help inspire a young person to experience things he may not have tried otherwise.
For the youth involved, those relationships can open new doors. One Little shared that he was nervous at first because he had never done anything like the program before. But after being matched with his Big, he found someone who was kind, funny, and more like him than he expected. The experience gave him a chance to get out more, try new activities, and connect with someone new.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State currently serves nine counties across West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. In 2022, the organization expanded to include Putnam and Kanawha Counties, with support from the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation. That partnership has helped the agency grow quickly and reach more young people who can benefit from mentorship.
Since 2021, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State has grown its service by 400 percent across all counties, with a significant portion of that growth happening in Putnam and Kanawha Counties. The organization recognizes that the need is great, and strong partnerships are essential to serving more youth and families.
At the heart of the program is the idea of expanding the village around each child. Big Brothers Big Sisters works to create social capital for young people, helping them build a network of caring adults so they do not have to face life’s challenges alone. With mentors, families, community partners, and supporters working together, youth are surrounded by people who are in their corner.
The organization is deeply grateful for its partnership with the Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation. The Foundation’s support has helped provide financial resources, but it has also helped build bridges, strengthen networks, and expand the reach of mentorship in the region.
Through these relationships, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State is helping young people gain confidence, discover new opportunities, and know they have people standing beside them. One match at a time, the organization is building a stronger village for children and families across the Tri-State region.