Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern MA Celebrates Sarah Adams

BRIGHTON, Mass. – April is National Volunteer Month. To celebrate, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM) is honoring Sarah Adams, 25, of Brighton, one of the hundreds of volunteers for the state’s leading one-to-one youth mentoring program. The nonprofit partners with under-resourced families to provide children, referred to as Little Brothers and Little Sisters, with caring adult mentors, referred to as Big Brothers and Big Sisters, who help them reach their fullest potential.

With research and proven outcomes at its core, BBBSEM creates matches based on shared interests, geography and personality and serves as a consistent resource for Bigs, Littles and their families. The organization offers translators to mitigate potential language and cultural barriers and serves as a bridge between communities and community partners, helping to address larger social issues, such as race and education gaps.

Growing up in Maryland, Adams lost her father at an early age to brain cancer and turned to her mother, older sister and older cousins for support. They were her first role models and emulated the character, strength and success she wanted at home, in school and on the athletic field. Her family and former boss at a college internship inspired Adams to get involved with BBBSEM upon moving to Boston after graduation. She was matched with her “Little Sister” Ciara, then 9-years-old, in 2019 through the agency’s Community-Based Program in which mentors are paired with youth and meet for two to three hours a couple times a month at locations of their choosing. 2+ years of art projects, reading, playing guitar, hitting golf balls and baseballs and countless Facetimes later, the mentoring duo is still going strong.

“Becoming a ‘Big Sister’ gave me a sense of purpose when I moved to Boston as I worked to make new friends and find a passion outside of work,” says Adams, whose mentoring experience inspired her to become the agency’s current Marketing and Communications Coordinator. “Ciara is a brilliant and strong young woman. During our time together, I’ve seen her come out of her shell more. I now get to see her silly side as well as her compassionate side.”

Adams’ mentoring relationship is one example of protective measures that adults can take as mentors to help minimize risk factors, such as lack of motivation, anxiety, stress and isolation, that are threatening children’s mental health and academic success. A national study of 950 youth from eight Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies showed that positive relationships between Littles and their Bigs have a direct and measurable impact on children’s lives. Big Brothers Big Sisters’ matches consistently spend more time together, and continue as a match for longer periods, than those in other mentoring programs. Results also showed Bigs help Littles learn right from wrong, make better life choices, do better in school and advance to the next grade level.

“One of the best things about being a Big is being able to learn from someone you wouldn’t normally interact with,” says Adams. “Last summer, Ciara was really into skateboarding, an activity I haven’t even attempted since I was probably 11, her age. I luckily had an old skateboard laying around my apartment and without hesitation brought it along on our next outing. Attempting to learn to skateboard at 25 is something I never thought I would do, but it was actually one of the best days and after some practice and some tips from Ciara I kind of got the hang of it! We had so much fun that day and it was awesome to see her excited to teach me something too.”

Anyone can become a Big as the agency welcomes youth and adults of all races, ethnicities, cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, and physical abilities. Volunteers must be 18 years old or older and be able to commit a few hours a few times a month for at least a year and have a passion for positively impacting a young person’s life.

In its 70th year, BBBSEM has created and served more than 20,000 matches. The nonprofit is now enrolling and matching Littles and Bigs. For more information, to register your children or to become a volunteer, visit: www.emassbigs.org.

About Big Brother Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is an innovative, energetic organization that is making a real difference in the lives of nearly 4,000 youth annually by providing them with an invested, caring adult mentor in long-term, professionally supported relationships. With research and proven outcomes at its core, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts is working to defend the potential of children facing adversity and ensure every child has the support from caring adults that they need for healthy development and success in life. The organization’s vision is to inspire, engage and transform communities in Eastern Massachusetts by helping youth achieve their full potential, contributing to healthier families, better schools, more confident futures and stronger communities. Throughout its 70 years, the largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate in New England has created and served more than 20,000 matches. For more information about the agency and its mission, visit www.emassbigs.org.

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