Big Sister 2011 Annual Report - Big Sister Association of Greater ...

Our History

is her Future
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 1

85% of girls with a Big Sister experience
improved self-confidence.
2 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

CONTENTS
4 Letter from CEO & Board President
5 Letter from the Superintendent of Boston Public Schools
6 Our Impact
8 Our Little Sisters
10 Our Big Sisters
12 Why Girls Need Mentors
14 Community-Based Mentoring
18 School-Based Mentoring
24 Our History is Her Future
34 Group Mentoring
38 Intentional Mentoring
40 Our Community Partners
44 Financial Information
46 Special Events
48 Our Generous Community
56 Our Staff
57 Our Board of Directors
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 3

Dear Friends,
As we write this letter, we are beginning the 60th year of Big Sister Association of Greater Boston. For
six decades, we’ve been steadfast in our belief that by focusing on the healthy development of girls, we
are preparing the next generation of mothers, teachers, doctors and business leaders. We are creating a
vibrant community where girls know that there is no limit to what they can achieve.
You will see in this annual report, many of our stories haven’t changed over the years: our Big and Little Sisters
are still discovering and learning together; they continue to try new activities like kayaking and skiing;
they make crafts and bake together; they go to the movies and visit museums; and, they spend time
talking about their hopes and dreams. A child and an adult who were once strangers, become life-long
friends. In each story you will read the threads of trust, sharing, openness, humor, understanding and
compassion that create a bond of love that is life changing. You will read a story about a woman who was
a Little Sister in the 1960’s and is now a mother with grown children of her own. Forty years later, her
Big Sister continues to guide and support her.
It is time for us to build upon years of experience and knowledge that we have gained throughout
our history. We are launching a three-year strategic plan that will reorganize the delivery of our
professional support services around the unique needs of girls by age, through all their stages of
development. Through tailored training and support groups, activity tracks, and advice, Big Sisters
will be better equipped to guide their Little Sisters through the choices and challenges they face as
girls, as teens, and as young women. Our new strategy also takes us further into the community by
engaging more partners in our mission. In addition to expanding our reach with the creation of a
Diversity Council, Alumnae Association and a Young Professional Group, we will now create a Parents’
Advisory Council to further support our Big and Little Sisters.
You have helped shape our history and you will help shape our future as a funder, a friend, as an advocate,
as a Big Sister. It is because of you, that we are making multi-generational change in Greater Boston. Our
history is her future.
Warm regards,
Maxwell D. Bardeen Deborah Re
Board President Chief Executive Officer
4 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Dear Big Sister Community,
In my four years as Superintendent we have strived to make Boston Public Schools the best
institutions of learning that they can be. As school leaders, it is our responsibility to do everything we can to
motivate, inspire and prepare our students for the world beyond our walls, but we know we cannot
do this work on our own. We depend on our partners – corporations, non-profit community based
organizations, and individual citizens – to assist us as we serve the students and families of Boston. For
60 years Big Sister Association of Greater Boston has been one of our proudest partners in helping
prepare our students for life outside the classroom.
Here is what we know: a young woman who has a relationship with a Big Sister is half as likely to use
illegal drugs as one who does not. She is one third less likely to skip class, one third less likely to
hit someone, and the chances that she will stay in school nearly double. All of this leads to a more
productive student and a more active citizenry. Simply put, the future is brighter for our young girls
because of the work Big Sisters are doing.
Indeed, this is what is at the very core of the Big Sister Association of Greater Boston’s mission: to make
a direct difference in the life of a young woman, at a moment in her life when a positive role model can
do the most good.
As you read this annual report, I hope it provides you with the opportunity to reflect on the
contributions the organization has made in the past year and to think about how you can once again
help support this critical agenda in the year ahead. This work is not easy and it is not glamorous but it is
vital to the success of the girls being mentored, to the future of our city, our state and our nation.
Carol R. Johnson
Superintendent, Boston Public Schools
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 5

60
Years Big Sister Association of Greater Boston
has been mentoring girls.
2,567
Girls served through all of our programs.
1,932
Big Sisters who made a difference in the
lives of Little Sisters.
170,000
Volunteer hours invested in mentoring girls to
inspire them to excellence in school, at home,
and in the community.
69
Cities and towns in Big Sister Association of
Greater Boston’s service area.
29.3 months
The average length of a mentoring relationship
between a Big and Little Sister compared to the
minimum required commitment of 12 months.
51
Public schools and community centers in
Greater Boston where we provide site-based
mentoring.
12
Big for a Day events to give girls on our wait list
a chance to participate in fun and educational
activities.
71
Corporations, colleges, and community
organizations consistently helping to recruit
mentors.
977
Individual donors and corporations that invested
in changing the trajectory of girls’
lives through mentoring.
6 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Big Sister Association of Greater Boston, the oldest and largest mentoring
organization in New England exclusively serving girls, is a nationally
recognized leader in providing gender-specific mentoring services. Since
1951, Big Sister has been helping the girls of Greater Boston realize their full
potential by providing them with positive mentoring relationships with women.
Our one-to-one programs (Community-Based Mentoring and School-Based
Mentoring) and our Group Mentoring programs (TEAM and Life Choices) are
preventative and specifically designed to address girls’ unique social-emotional
needs and help build their confidence, competence, and caring.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 7

2,567 girls throughout all of our programs
received the guidance and support
of a Big Sister.
8 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Big Sister matches girls between the ages of 7 and 15 in one-to-one or group
mentoring relationships with caring women mentors. In our largest, signature
program, Community-Based Mentoring, girls can remain Little Sisters until the
age of 20, at which time they are then old enough to become Big Sisters. While our Little
Sisters come from a wide range of ethnic, socio-economic, and family backgrounds,
our typical Little Sister is 12 years old, living with a single mother in Dorchester or
Roxbury, and is African-American or Hispanic.
1,793 (or 70%) of our Little Sisters live in the neighborhoods of Boston as shown below.
All Little Sisters by Age
7-10 774 30%
11-13 1049 41%
14+ 744 29%
All Little Sisters by Ethnicity
Black/African American 942 37%
Hispanic 652 25%
Caucasian 387 15%
Multi-Racial 319 12%
Asian 174 7%
Other 93 4%
All Little Sisters by Living Situation
One Parent (Female) 1365 53%
Two Parent 837 33%
Grandparents 106 4%
Other Guardian 112 4%
One Parent (Male) 71 3%
Other Relative 56 2%
Foster Home 17 1%
Group Home 3

Our Big Sister volunteers are the heart of our programs, providing support
and attention to the girls we serve. Big Sisters must be at least 20 years old to
participate in our Community-Based Mentoring program and at least 18 years
old to participate in our School-Based and Group Mentoring programs. There is no
upper age limit to be a Big Sister.
While our Big Sisters come from a wide range of ethnic, socio-economic, and family
backgrounds, our typical Big Sister is Caucasian, in her mid-20s to early 30s, and living
in Fenway or Brighton. Our vision is for our volunteers to reflect the diversity of our
Little Sisters. As such, Big Sister is committed to engaging more women of color from
the communities where the majority of our Little Sisters live. With the help of our
Diversity Council, 559 women of color served as Big Sister in 2010, an increase of 2%
over last year.
All Big Sisters by Age
14-17 (High School
Mentoring Academy) 41 2%
18-25 633 33%
26-35 801 41%
36-45 234 12%
46-55 145 8%
56-65 70 4%
66+ 8

1,932 women invested 170,000
volunteer hours to mentor
Greater Boston’s girls.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 11

Big Sister’s service area covers 69 cities
and towns throughout Greater Boston.
However, nearly 70% of the girls we serve
reside in the neighborhoods of Boston.
12 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Girls in Greater Boston and across the nation face heightened risk factors as they navigate their
pre-teen and teenage years. Data compiled by the 2009 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s
Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Systems Survey of girls in Boston, grades 9-12, highlights the
distinct challenges facing girls today:
19.5%
16.7%
36.0%
29.4%
72%
73%
80%
76%
of girls reported having been offered, sold or given drugs at their school at
least once in the past 12 months.
of girls reported drinking five or more drinks in a sitting at least once in
the past 30 days.
of girls felt so sad or hopeless almost every day for 2 or more weeks in a row
that they stopped doing some usual activities.
of girls reported having been in a physical fight at school at least once in
the past 12 months.
A Big Sister can help girls resist negative behaviors
and embrace positive choices for their futures.
Mentoring works
Research has proven that Big Sister’s mentoring programs have a powerful and positive impact on the girls
we serve. According to the results of our 2010 Program Outcome Evaluations, girls with a Big Sister are:
less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol.
less likely to skip school.
are better able to make healthy decisions.
experience better relationships with their peers and family.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 13

Community-Based Mentoring (CBM) is our signature, and largest program. It
is a one-to-one mentoring program that matches girls with caring, supportive,
women mentors. Big and Little Sisters meet on days and times of their choosing
and engage in various activities in the community. The focus is on building a strong
relationship, so they are encouraged to explore activities which are low to no-cost. We
send a monthly email to Big Sisters with a calendar of events and activity suggestions in
a variety of communities. Additionally, we offer an online resource to our volunteers
called Big Sister Connection, which provides further ideas.
We organize and sponsor monthly activities
for Big and Little Sisters to come together, have
fun, and try new things. Last year, we had nearly
40 such events including several sailing trips, a
kickboxing class, a day at camp, an art exchange,
and community service. We also hold the following
annual events: our Volunteer Appreciation
Breakfast, Summer Picnic, and our Halloween
and Winter Wonderland parties. While these
opportunities expose girls to new experiences, many
Little Sisters simply enjoy having someone to share
a laugh with, a shoulder to lean on, or knowing
that their Big Sister is there just for them.
Big and Little Sister matches are assigned to a
Match Support social worker who checks in with
the Big Sister, Little Sister, and Little Sister’s
family on a regular basis. The Match Support
social worker provides guidance to the Big Sister
in regards to her role as a mentor, advice on how
she can best support and encourage her Little
Sister as well as activity ideas and resources. Big
Sisters are invited to participate in support groups
led by a Big Sister social worker, called Gather and
Gabs. These groups allow volunteers to discuss
topics that arise in their mentoring relationships,
such as self-image and self-esteem issues. Big Sisters
also receive a monthly e-blast, the Big Sister Scene,
written by our program staff, which offers guidance
and insight on issues which may be affecting their
Little Sisters.
Big Sister served 1,072 girls through
Community-Based Mentoring.
Big for a Day (BFAD)
Big for a Day (BFAD) is a unique program offered
within Community-Based Mentoring. With
approximately 200-300 girls waiting to be matched
with a Big Sister at any given time, BFAD is an
opportunity to keep these girls engaged. After
being assessed by a Big Sister social worker, the
girls may participate in monthly BFAD activities,
such as bowling, dance workshops, or cooking
classes. These activities are planned and supervised
by Big Sister staff. The girls are matched for the day
with a Big for a Day volunteer, a woman who is
unable to make the full commitment of being a
Big Sister or is waiting to be matched with a Little
Sister herself. This past year, we served 274 girls
through BFAD.
14 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

A Big Sister helps a girl broaden
her vision of her future.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 15

Little Sister Joannie
Big Sister Jessica
If you met Joannie Ortiz and Jessica Goldberg, you might think they were sisters.
Their easy laughter, gentle ribbing, and obvious affection reveal how close the pair
has become since they were matched nearly seven and a half years ago, just two days
after Joannie’s 11th birthday.
Joannie, now an English major at UMass Boston
on a full scholarship, had been a quiet and intelligent
child. After witnessing a troubling incident
in her neighborhood, Joannie became noticeably
more introspective and withdrawn. Upon seeing
this change, a school counselor suggested that she
be enrolled in Big Sister’s School-Based Mentoring
program.
Joannie remembers the first day she and Jessica met.
It was in a tiny cluttered classroom at the Tobin
Elementary School. Though
Jess seemed friendly enough,
Joannie doesn’t think she uttered
a single word; she just
nodded or shook her head
whenever her new Big Sister
asked questions.
Jessica burst into Joannie’s
life full of vitality, kindness
and a very talkative streak.
She had decided to become
a Big Sister because the television commercials
from the 1980’s inspired her – even 15 years
after their last airing. At the time, Jess was 19 and an
undergraduate student at Boston University. What
she remembers most about their first meetings
were Joannie’s deep dimples and her quiet reserve.
After several years of lunch-time visits, the pair
transitioned to Big Sister’s Community-Based
Mentoring Program where they could spend more
time together.
Having Jess as a friend and mentor had a strong
positive impact on Joannie. “I had some trust issues
in elementary school. After I met Jess, I started
talking more. Not to sound corny or anything, but
Jess was one of the first people I started trusting in a
long time.”
Joannie is still soft-spoken and reserved, but she is
fiercely creative. This creativity gives her a strong
voice. Her passions include reading, poetry, anime,
and gaming. Walt Whitman sloshes around in her
backpack and she confesses a soft spot for Robert
Frost and John Keats. She is a slam poet who is
transformed when on-stage and a dynamo when
dressed in full costume at the anime conventions she
attends with Jessica.
Even after all these years, the two women still see
each other frequently and
spend many a Friday afternoon
sipping coffee, gabbing
at local shops or doing
community service, one of
Jessica’s passions. But at
the same time, much has
changed.
“She’s not 11 anymore.”
Jessica thinks back to how
19-year old Joannie called her
recently saying “I’m going clubbing” and feeling that
shocked surprise one gets when they realize their
little sister has grown-up. She tries to takes it in stride.
She realizes that her place is to guide Joannie and to
help her make healthy choices, but she also has to
let her Little Sister be independent and allow her to
grow into her own woman.
On making the choice to become a Big Sister, Jessica
wants people to understand the gravity of the
commitment. “You are committing to having a sister.
It’s not just a friend… They don’t call it Big Friends,
do they? Adult with Whom You Spend Time? Child
with Whom You Spend Time? It’s Big Sister... I
wouldn’t go into it without understanding the
meaning of that word or that commitment. I’m not
sure I did at the time, but I’m glad I figured it out.”
16 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 17

School-Based Mentoring (SBM) is a site-based program that creates one-to-one matches
between elementary school girls (Little Sisters) and women mentors (Big Sisters).
Girls and their mentors meet once a week throughout the academic year, at the girl’s
school, generally during her lunch period or after-school program. Each match
independently decides how to spend their time together, whether it’s playing board games,
reading a book together or reviewing homework assignments. Big Sister Association
partners with nearly 30 schools and community sites in Greater Boston to bring this
mentoring program to girls. Our objective is to improve participating girls’ confidence,
competence and caring so that they may develop into healthy, responsible adults.
Social workers check-in weekly with the match by
visiting each Little Sister at her school and talking
with Big Sisters over the phone, in-person or via
email to offer guidance and address issues as they
surface. SBM Big Sisters also have the opportunity
to participate in support groups, called Gather and
Gabs, which allow them to discuss topics that arise
in their mentoring relationships. These meetings
are led by a Big Sister social worker. Additionally,
Big Sisters receive a monthly e-blast, the Big Sister
Scene, written by our program staff, which offers
guidance and insight on issues that Little Sisters
may encounter.
School-Based Plus
While Big and Little Sisters in our School-Based
Mentoring program are encouraged to keep
in touch during summer vacation via letters,
postcards, or email, we also offer the opportunity for
them to meet in the community. School-Based Plus
allows School-Based matches to meet on their own
time and enjoy activities together during the Little
Sister’s summer vacation. Once the school year
resumes, matches return to meeting during
the Little Sister’s lunch period or after-school
program with the option to see each other in the
community. The primary relationship, however,
remains school-based.
High School Mentoring Academy
We piloted the High School Mentoring Academy
(HSMA) in December 2007, as part of the School-
Based Mentoring program. Recognizing a growing
need to serve more girls in the Grove Hall
neighborhood of Dorchester, Big Sister partnered
with Boston Latin Academy and William Monroe
Trotter Elementary School, to pair young girls with
high school-aged mentors. HSMA is noteworthy
because it pairs elementary school-aged girls at
an under-performing school with mentors at a
high-achieving exam school, it gives high school
girls a leadership opportunity, and it provides a
space for girls to interact with mentors who reflect
their race and culture.
HSMA is a unique program that positively impacts
both the Big Sisters and Little Sisters. The model
of the program allows high school–aged Big Sisters
to develop leadership skills in their weekly group
meetings and then to apply those skills in their
weekly mentoring sessions. In 2010, 33 Little
Sisters were served through the High School
Mentoring Academy.
18 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Big Sister served 588 girls
through School-Based Mentoring.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 19

Big Sister partnered with 51 public
schools and community centers in
Greater Boston to bring our School-Based and
Group Mentoring programs to girls.
20 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

The following is a list of schools and community sites we partnered with in 2010 to
provide our School-Based Mentoring services.
BOSTON
Allston/Brighton:
Jackson/Mann K-8 School
Thomas A. Edison K-8 School
West End House Boys & Girls Club
Charlestown:
Charlestown Boys and Girls Club
Clarence R. Edwards Middle School
Harvard/Kent Elementary School
Warren/Prescott K-8 School
Dorchester:
Boston Latin Academy
Holland Elementary School
Paul A. Dever Elementary School
William M. Trotter Elementary
Downtown/Copley:
Ellis Memorial After-School Program
Josiah Quincy Elementary School
Josiah Quincy Upper School
Red Oak After-School Program
Mission Hill/Roxbury:
David G. Farragut Elementary School
Maurice J. Tobin K-8 School
North End:
John Eliot K-8 School
South End:
Joseph J. Hurley K-8 School
William Blackstone Elementary School
CAMBRIDGE
The Andrew Peabody School
Fletcher-Maynard Academy
King Open After-School Program
King Open Elementary School
QUINCY
Atlantic Middle School
F.W. Parker Elementary School
Montclair Elementary School
SALEM
Horace Mann Laboratory School
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 21

22 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

The first thing you notice when you meet Little Sister Zaire is her self-confidence.
She is a smart and bold fifth grader at the Josiah Quincy Elementary School. She
knows what she likes and doesn’t like and isn’t afraid to tell you. This quality
often so rare in girls her age who are struggling with self-esteem and who are starting to
exchange “I want” with “whatever you want”, often gets her into hot water. In her own
words, it has also gotten her mistakenly labeled as a “trouble kid”.
In describing why she wanted a Big Sister, Zaire
wrote that she wanted to be able to share life stories
with her, to be able to socialize, to practice her
multiplication tables and to be able to tell her the
important things that were going on in her life. The
subtext is also that she wanted someone who would
understand her and who could see through her
impatience and occasional brashness to the real her.
She wanted “her Big Sister to know that she’s a good
kid, [and that she’s] really fun and a jokester.”
Twenty-four year old Big Sister Katie Abarr has
been matched with Zaire in our School-Based
Mentoring program for a little over a year now. She
wanted to be a Big Sister because she remembered
the women in her life who had made an effort to
spend time with her as a child and how much it had
meant to her.
“I will always remember the people who went out
of their way to take care of me or mentor me or just
make me laugh,” says Katie. “That made a big impact
on me and I’d like to do that for someone else.”
According to their match support social worker Sara
Pizzute, Katie turned out to be the perfect mentor
for friendly and thoughtful Zaire. A coordinator at
the Westin Boston Waterfront, Katie remembers
being equally opinionated at Zaire’s age. She would
also get reprimanded for testing and trying to bend
rules that didn’t make sense to her, such as not
chewing gum or the requirement to keep her
uniform shirt tucked in at all times. As a mentor,
she is very understanding of Zaire’s temperament,
but sets firm limits and helps her become more
patient and positive in her overall attitude towards
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston
Little Sister Zaire
Big Sister Katie
teachers and her fellow students. Zaire is grateful
to know that she isn’t alone. She is also happy to
have guidance on how to constructively deal with
her feelings of frustration and to have a cool adult
she can laugh with and be goofy.
Zaire recalls that the pair got along immediately
when they first met with “no awkward moments”.
They had a lot in common. They liked yoga, were
self-proclaimed girly-girls, and both had a good
sense of humor. Zaire also approved of Katie’s
fashion sense. “She knows how to dress. Like me.”
On Friday afternoons when they are together, they
often do homework and talk about their New Year’s
Resolutions -- Zaire’s are to get good grades, have
a more positive attitude and stop biting her nails.
Katie’s resolution is to talk to her mother more
often. Sometimes though, they don’t need to say
a word and can just sit in comfortable silence and
color. They understand each other.
And then there are those multiplications tables.
According to Zaire, Katie “really likes math”. Big
Sister Katie has increased Zaire’s appreciation of
math and has helped her recognize her skills in the
subject. “She’s actually really good at math. She just
thinks that she isn’t. … She’s really smart.”
When asked about her experience as a Big
Sister, Katie answers that it has taught her
to stop and make time for the things that
are more important in life, the things
that are more heartfelt, “which is
how I feel about hanging out
with Zaire.”

24 www.bigsister.org

The Big Sister Association was founded in 1951 by three
Cambridge residents: The Reverend Harold Taylor, Assistant
Rector at Christ Church in Cambridge; Edith Taylor
(no relation to Harold), a Cambridge police officer; and Frances
Marley, an administrative assistant and legal consultant for the
Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 1960s
2010 Annual Report 25

26 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 27

28 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 29

30 2010 Annual Report

Big Sister
Today
Being a Big Sister means plucking the
threads of character from a girl and
weaving a carpet that she can use to fly.
Diane Patrick, First Lady of Massachusetts
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 31

32 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Little Sister Linda
Big Sister Marlene
My name is Linda Brennan, and I am a Little Sister. Forty years ago Big Sister
Association of Greater Boston matched me with Marlene Archer, an
educated, compassionate and extremely persevering woman who changed
the trajectory of my life.
I grew up in a four-room apartment in the Bromley-
Heath Housing Development in Jamaica Plain.
My parents were orphans – poor, physically ill
and often unable to provide me with the care and
attention I needed. I would walk to school in a
winter jacket that was too small and shoes that were
held together by adhesive
tape, so the soles would
stay intact. I felt isolated
and lonely.
That is until I was
matched with my Big
Sister Marlene. I was 11
years old. I was nervous,
excited and I had so many
unanswered questions:hh
What if she doesn’t like
me? What is she going to
be like? Will she be afraid
to come into Bromley-
Heath to meet me? What
will she say when she sees
all the empty soda bottles,
newspapers and rags in
my living room? I didn’t
know what the future
held for us that day we
first met, but what mattered most was that she
showed up.
Marlene opened my world. Over the years we
talked about teen pregnancy, politics, civil rights,
the arts, religion, women’s issues, injustice and
most of all, education. She taught me to set goals
and work hard for what I believed in—that I had the
power to make my dreams come true. The more we
talked, the bigger I dreamed. I wanted to graduate
from school and get a good job. I was 17 when I
graduated from high school and Marlene was there
by my side. With her encouragement I attended
Boston Business School and then went on to
college at Salem State. I had never known anyone
who went to college, except for Marlene.
I graduated from Salem
State and began a career
in teaching. Not long
after, with Marlene’s
continued encouragement,
I attended Boston
University and earned
a master’s degree in
Business Education. I
have held various teaching
and rehabilitation
positions, but the most
profound was at MCI
Framingham, a woman’s
prison. I was surrounded
by women who suffered
from substance abuse,
AIDS and mental illness.
There were women there
who were my classmates
as a child. We shared the
same schools, the same hardships and the same
neighborhoods. But, they did not have Marlene.
She not only changed my life, she changed my
family’s life.
Four decades after I was first matched with
Marlene, Big Sister Association continues to put
caring, supportive women in the lives of girls. Like
me, these girls will explore more, dream bigger, and
go further because someone believed in them.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston
2010 Annual Report 33

Big Sister offers two Group Mentoring opportunities in order to provide our
preventative mentoring programs to more of Greater Boston’s girls. Both programs,
TEAM (Team Enhanced Approach to Mentoring) and Life Choices, are specifically
designed for middle school-aged girls (typically 10-16). Group Mentoring creates safe spaces
for adolescent girls where they can openly explore the choices and challenges they face.
More than merely a place free of violence, this safe space creates an atmosphere of
intimacy and mutual respect where girls feel comfortable expressing their ideas with
adults and with each other. Our Group Mentoring programs involve both volunteers
(TEAM only) and Big Sister social workers (TEAM and Life Choices) and are specifically
designed to meet each girl’s unique, developmental needs. The program uses a structured
curriculum, which explores real world topics designed to increase girls’ understanding of
complex gender and social issues. Groups meet weekly in schools or community sites for
90-minute sessions throughout the year.
Life Choices
Boston Renaissance Charter
School, Hyde Park
Bromley-Heath Housing
Development, Jamaica Plain
Community Charter School of
Cambridge, Cambridge
Dorchester Juvenile Court,
Dorchester
Garfield Middle School, Revere
Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle
School, Dorchester
Maria Weston Chapman Middle
School, Weymouth
Mario Umana Middle School
Academy, East Boston
Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle
School, Dorchester
Mother Caroline Academy,
Dorchester
Oliver Hazard Perry K-8 School,
South Boston
West Roxbury Juvenile Court
Clinic, West Roxbury
* Boston Centers for Youth and Families Sites
Life Choices Summer
Agassiz Community Center*,
Jamaica Plain
Jackson Mann Community
Center*, Brighton
Orchard Gardens Community
Center*, Roxbury
Paris Street Community
Center*, East Boston
Roslindale Community
Center*, Roslindale
Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle
School, Dorchester
Tynan Community Center*,
South Boston
West End House Boys and Girls
Club, Allston
Yawkey Boys & Girls Club,
Roxbury
TEAM
Boston Renaissance Charter
School, Hyde Park
Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot
School, Roxbury
Patrick F. Gavin Middle School,
South Boston
Tech Boston Academy,
Dorchester
Somerville Boys & Girls Club,
Somerville
West End House Boys & Girls
Club, Allston
Yawkey Boys & Girls Club,
Roxbury
34 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Big Sister served 633 girls through our
Group Mentoring programs,
Life Choices and TEAM.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 35

“Big Sister’s programs help the
Renaissance School support the social and
emotional development of our students.”
- Jessica Dugan, Boston Renaissance Charter School
36 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

In order to effectively address the changing needs of today’s girls, Big Sister consistently
updates and adapts our Group Mentoring curriculum. Below is a sample of
the topics covered through activities, role play, and structured discussions.
Curriculum
Alcohol & Drugs - Informs and educates about substance abuse, disease and addiction, as well as creates
a safe space for the girls to talk about peer pressure and how to make healthy decisions for themselves.
Career Awareness - Exposes girls to a variety of careers, both traditional and non-traditional, and
emphasizes a career as a lifestyle, not just a means of support.
Choices & Decision-Making - Helps girls understand the difference between choices and decisions,
why decisions matter and explores decision-making styles.
Conflict Resolution - Encourages girls to understand the meaning of conflict and discusses ways to
peacefully and productively respond to it.
Diversity - Helps girls distinguish between prejudice, discrimination and stereotypes, and explores how
class, age, gender, religion, race, ethnicity and culture affect our daily lives.
Effective Communication - Educates girls on what effective communication is, the difference between
verbal and nonverbal communication and how to practice active listening skills.
Gender Roles - Explores girls’ own ideas of gender roles and stereotypes, as well as the media’s
influence on gender roles.
Goal-Setting - Helps girls identify and define personal goals and recognize the importance of setting
goals as it relates to their futures.
Healthy Relationships - Identifies different types of relationships, signs of healthy and unhealthy
relationships and how to manage conflict within a relationship.
Internet Safety – Educates girls on internet privacy, identity, theft protection, consequences of online
outcomes and provides resources to prevent and address cyber-bullying.
Media Literacy & Body Image - Helps girls develop critical thinking skills in response to media
messages and encourages them to celebrate the unique qualities inherent in themselves and others.
Puberty & Sexual Health - Promotes healthy attitudes about puberty and sex, as well as healthy
decision-making about sexual activity.
Self-Esteem - Educates girls on the relationship between self-esteem and behavior, attitude and
decisions, while helping them acknowledge and appreciate the unique strengths and qualities within
themselves and others.
Sisterhood - Promotes relationship-building between girls and creates a space for girls to practice
treating others with kindness and respect.
Stress, Coping & Self Care - Evaluates the origin of stress in a girl’s life and ways that it can impact her
positively and negatively, as well as why self-care is important.
Values - Increases awareness of who and what influences girls’ values and how their choices and
decisions are a reflection of their values.z
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 37

Intentional Mentoring (IM) is an initiative to provide gender-specific training and
technical assistance to ensure that adults have the skills they need to develop effective
relationships with girls to support their positive development and learning.
It is based on the following:
• Girls and boys have unique needs and confront
unique challenges as they grow into adulthood.
• Gender-sensitive mentoring provided by
nurturing adults can accelerate improved
developmental outcomes for all youth.
• Youth service practitioners equipped with
gender sensitive training and mentoring skills
can provide the consistent support that drives
outcomes in after-school and out-of-school time.
The IM capacity-building initiative was conceived
by the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and the
Merrimack Valley in 2005 and has been developed
in partnership with Big Sister Association of
Greater Boston. These training services were
provided to United Way agencies with girls’
programs funded through Today’s Girls Tomorrow’s
Leaders. At the end of 2010, male and female
practitioners in 54 agencies have received gendersensitive
training through IM.
Michael Durkin, President and CEO of the United
Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley
writes, “We selected Big Sister because of its nearly
60 years of experience serving girls, the quality of
the mentoring programs they offer to meet the
needs of girls at different stages of development,
and the diversity of the girls served throughout
the 69 towns and cities in which the organization
operates.”
Desired Outcomes
IM was designed to create a network of
community-based organizations that effectively
meet the social-emotional needs of girls on three
primary levels: staff, organization, and community.
On the staff level, IM changes the manner in which
practitioners view and approach their relationship
with girls. By providing staff with the knowledge
and skills to serve as mentors to the girls in their
programs, IM maximizes the opportunities for
positive outcomes. Through the training series,
practitioners are better equipped to identify the
barriers to social-emotional health and to address
those barriers appropriately.
On the organizational level, IM is designed to
assist agencies in achieving measurable outcomes
for girls. Through customized technical assistance,
we create a bridge between the knowledge and
skills staff acquire during the training series and
the integration of that capacity-building within
the larger agency. IM provides an organizational
framework for establishing and sustaining a
gender-sensitive environment, which includes
agency culture, programming, and operational
practices. Agencies have the opportunity to evaluate
their current services to girls and to implement a
volunteer group mentoring component to enhance
existing services.
On the community level, IM creates a continuum
of care by enabling programs to work with one
another, as well as with other networks of support.
The IM training series includes specialized
training from content experts in areas of identified
need, such as mental health and court advocacy.
Additionally, practitioners are supported in
identifying and making use of appropriate
resources to best meet the social-emotional needs
of program participants.
As a result of the success of Intentional Mentoring
for girls, Intentional Mentoring for boys was
developed and piloted in 2010.
38 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Since 2005, 54 agencies have received
gender-sensitive training through
the Intentional Mentoring program.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 39

71 corporations, colleges, and
community organizations consistently
helped us recruit mentors in 2010.
40 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Big Sister could not offer the depth of programs and activities that we do without the generosity of our
program partners and host sites. We collaborate with a number of local corporations that allow employees
to volunteer during the workday, community organizations that have helped champion our work, and
colleges that encourage their students to give back.
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority
Association of Latino Professionals in
Finance & Accounting (ALPFA)
Bain & Company
Bank of America
Berklee College of Music
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical
Center
Big Brothers Big Sisters of
Massachusetts Bay
Blue Cross Blue Shield of
Massachusetts
Boston College
Boston Medical Center
Boston Public Health Commission
Boston Public Schools
Boston Scientific
Boston University
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Bromley-Heath Tenant Management
Corporation
Building Impact
Bunker Hill Community College
Children’s Hospital Boston
City of Boston
Colette Phillips Communications, Inc.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Digitas
Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative
Eastern Nazarene College
Eaton Vance
Emerson College
Emmanuel College
Ernst & Young
Fidelity Investments
Forrester Research
General Electric
Girls’ LEAP
Greater Boston Chamber of
Commerce Women’s Network
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Harvard University
Hill Holliday
Hot 97 Boston (87.7 FM)
Houghton Mifflin
Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters
of Greater Boston
John Hancock
Legal Sea Foods
Lesley University
Liberty Mutual Group
Mass Mentoring Partnership
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts Institute of
Technology
MFS Investment Management
New England School of Law
Newbury College
Northeastern University
Novartis
ONEin3 Boston
Partners HealthCare
Pearson Education
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Proctor & Gamble
Roxbury Community College
Roxbury Resource Center
Salem State College
Shawmut Design and Construction
Simmons College
Sovereign Bank
State Street Corporation
Strong Women Strong Girls
Suffolk University
Touch 106.1 FM
Tufts University
UBS Financial Services, Inc.
University of Massachusetts, Boston
Wellington Management
We want to recognize the following five companies that had the largest
number of employees serve as mentors in 2010: State Street Corporation, Liberty Mutual
Group, Partners HealthCare, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and MFS Investment
Management. They either offered flex time or release time to their employees so that
they could volunteer in one of our site-based programs or they allowed us to recruit
staff at their offices. We are very fortunate to be part of a community of
corporations who believe that good citizenship is good business.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 41

Big Sister Association
1986
Life Choices group mentoring
program launched.
1951
Big Sister
founded;
6 girls served
that year.
1952
Big Sister incorporated as
The Big Sister Association
of Greater Boston.
1998
TEAM group mentoring
program launched.
2001
School-Based Mentoring
program launched.
42 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

2003
Big for a Day
program launched.
2007
Big Sister pilots
Big Sister
Mentoring
Academy in two
Dorchester
schools.
2009
Big Sister launches
Alumnae Association
and Diversity Council.
2005
Big Sister is asked to pilot
the United Way of Massachusetts
Bay and Merrimack Valley’s
Intentional Mentoring program.
2011
Big Sister celebrates
its 60th Anniversary.
3000 girls to be served.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 43

Big Sister prides itself on our fiscal responsibility, which is built upon diversified funding sources.
In 2010, Big Sister raised nearly $2.6 million. Our fundraising goal for 2011 will increase to $2.85
million. Our long term investments, including a permanent endowment of approximately $800,000,
were valued at $2.6 million on Dec. 31, 2010.
2010 Operating Revenue
● Special Events ................................................33%
● Foundations ..................................................... 19%
● Earned Income
BBBS Foundation ..................................... 18%
● United Way .......................................................13%
● Individuals ..........................................................6%
● Investment returns
designated for current ops. ...................5%
● Corporations ..................................................... 3%
● Government ...................................................... 3%
2010 Operating Expenses
● Community-Based Mentoring ............... 44%
● School-Based Mentoring .......................... 17%
● Group Mentoring...........................................15%
● Fundraising ....................................................... 14%
● Volunteer Mgmt and Recruitment ........ 11%
44 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF ACTIVITIES
Operating Revenue 2010 2009
Foundations $498,416 $466,310
United Way 338,100 403,403
Corporations 86,082 136,065
Special Events - Net Revenue 834,937 855,733
Earned Income - Big Brother Big Sister Foundation 475,000 180,243
Other Contributions 233,958 330,574
In kind Donations 14,784 6,037
Investment Returns Designated for Current Operations 120,000 125,000
Total Operating Revenue 2,601,277 2,503,365
Operating Expenses
Program Expenses
Community-Based Mentoring 1,003,023 1,042,188
School-Based Mentoring 394,500 350,357
Group Mentoring 332,732 281,377
Volunteer Management and Recruitment 245,006 242,388
Total Program Expenses 1,975,261 1,916,310
Fundraising 312,366 296,340
Total Operating Expenses 2,287,627 2,212,650
Change in Net Assets from Operations 313,650 290,715
Investment and Interest Income 212,554 17,391
Bad Debts 0 (2,000)
Unrealized gains/(losses) on Investments (67,086) 399,085
Change in Net Assets 459,118 705,191
Net Assets, Beginning of Year 3,328,452 2,623,261
Net Assets, End of Year 3,787,570 3,328,452
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 45

Each year Big Sister hosts a variety of fundraising events to support our mentoring programs
for girls. The events create an opportunity to celebrate, inspire, and educate our
community about the transformative power of mentoring. We strive to make each of
these gatherings truly special and this past year shared many memorable moments with
our generous community.
46 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

We’d like to extend a special thanks to the following sponsors:
Bank of America, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts,
The Connors Family, Klarman Family Foundation,
Liberty Mutual Group, Normandy Real Estate Partners,
State Street Corporation, Tufts Health Plan, and TJX.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 47

Individuals
Big Sister Association provides our mentoring programs at no cost to Little Sisters and their families
to ensure that any girl in our community can have access to the friendship, guidance, and support of a
Big Sister.
Through strong relationships with individuals, foundations, corporations, and the United Way of
Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, we raised $2.6 million in 2010 to support our mentoring
programs for girls.
We pride ourselves on being a cost-efficient organization. Our average cost of making and supporting a
Big and Little Sister relationship is approximately $1,000 per year. Because of you, we can continue to
deepen our impact in the communities that need us most and serve more girls with quality mentoring
relationships. The following list represents our generous giving community who donated through our
annual fund and special events in 2010.
$50,000 +
Holly McGrath & David Bruce
$10,000 - $49,999
Beth & Max Bardeen
Denise Casper* & Marc Casper
Joseph Corcoran
Sandy & Paul Edgerley
Janet Holian
Beth & Seth Klarman
Maryanne & Gerry McCarthy
Kerry Nelson & Alan Milinazzo
Don Rodman
Jean Tempel & Peter Wilson
Abby & John Yozell
$5,000 - $9,999
Ann Marie & Richard Connolly
Christine Creelman
Jane Deery
Paul & Suzanne Fay Glynn
Maryanne Hertel & Kevin Counihan
Janet Kraus & Jim Giebutowski
Robin & Vincent Loporchio
Essence McGill Arzu & Aaron Arzu
Sharon & Brian McNally
Brooke & Will Muggia
Linda & Tim O’Brien
Joseph Realmuto & Paul Korenberg
Dan Romanow & B. Andrew Zelermyer
Beth & Anthony Terrana
Jeanne & Peter Yozell
$2,500 - $4,999
Terri Campbell*
Laura & Drew Carnase
Judith & Lionel Fortin
Kathryn & John Hamill
Susan Hoffman
Aileen & Terry Keaney
Kathleen Kiely
Carolyn Launie*
Rick & Kathy Lieb
Dolores & Marvin Mitchell
Lauren & Rob Neill
Sabrina & Bob Nicholson
Lynne & Jon O’Connor
Deborah Re* & Peter Reinhart
Fran & Charles Rodgers
Jan & Joe Roller
Jacqueline Smith & John Wyman
Kathleen C. Wallace*
$1,000 - $2,499
Raymond Bazzano
Linda Cabot & Ed Anderson
Bernard Cammarata
Donald Charsky
Janet & Stephen Clay
Heather Cloran*
Anne Crowley
Ethan & Amy D’Ablemont Burnes
Geoffrey Dancey
Patricia & Gary Darman
Diane Davidson & Gordon Perry
Susan & Jeff Esper
Nina & David Fialkow
Colleen Fitzpatrick*
Megan Gadd & Nathan Wilson
Nancy & Mark Genesky
Gregory & Maryann Gibbons
Marcia & Phil Giudice
Andrew Graff
Nancy & Michael Grogan
Ernie Herrman
Robert Hogan
Lisa Hughes & Mike Casey
Edmund Ingalls
Lynn & Marvin Irby
Judy Keefe-Modelane &
Daniel Modelane
Heidi & John Kowalchyk
Karen Kruck
Brian Lash
Annette & Robert Leckie
Sheila & Paul LeFevre
Suzanne Lieb*
Theresa Lopez* & Fran Corbett
Karen Lubov*
Michael Lukasek
Joan Mathews
David C. McAvoy
Alex & Josh McCall
Carol* & Michael McKean
Carol Meyrowitz
48 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Jennifer & Paul Mitchell
Carol & John Moriarty
Thomas Niedermeyer
Michael Offner & Lonna Steinberg
Susan Okie Bush
Kevin O’Leary
Jill & Tom Pappas
Gerald Polucci
Janet & James Porter
Marina & George Reiser
Jean Rhodes & Karl Wittrup
Martha & Edward Roney
Kirsten & Mark Roopenian
Ann & James Roosevelt
Donna Ryan
Lisa Scannell* &David Carlon
Fredi & Jack Shonkoff
Penny Shultz & Joel Wolff
Nan & Carl Stutz
Patricia Thomas*
Donald Thompson
Mariann & Mark Tosi
Sandra Urie
Meg Wallace & SandyAnderson*
Cindy Wright & Jeff Buttel
Barbara Zack*
$250 - $999
Christine Ackerman
Martha Acworth*
Liz Adams Lasser
Amy Adyanthaya*
Janet A. Albrecht*
Ilka Alcantara
Jane Alpers
William & Jill Anderson
Richard Anderson
Amy Averill
Lawrence Bailis & Susan Shevitz
Kristen Beilman
Gordon Bewick
Jacqueline Bliven*
Carole Bodio
Angela Braman
Donavan Brown
Karen Brown
Alexis Bulkley
Joanne Callahan
Lucy Campbell*
Anthony Cataldo
Sheila & Albert Cavanaugh
Irene Ceisel*
Mary Joe & Todd Clark
Kristine Clerkin
Andrew Coleman
Spencer Collier
Linda Comb
Ellen & Lindsay Cook
Beverly Cooper-Wiele*
Constance Cork
Cliff Cort
Bill Cushing
Nicole Cushion*
Mellissa & Gilbert Dailey
Andrew Dolben
Debra Doncov*
Jeffrey Donnelly
Kristin Donnelly
Sheryl Donovan
Brenna Downing*
Amy Driscoll*
Amy Drucker
Rebecca Duseau
Blake Edwards
Kenneth Elgart
Beth Favaloro*
Brian Ferguson
Susan Flahive
Richard Fleder
Daniel Fleishman & Barbara Shapiro
Patricia Foley
Wendy Fox
Patricia Gallagher*
Millicent Gaskell
Henrietta Gates & Heaton Robertson
Robert Giordano
Patrick & Janice Glynn
David Gow
Karla Gunther*
Denise Hajjar
Susan Hamblen
Deborah Hancock
Individuals
Brian Harrington
Cherylanne & Arthur Harvey
Mary Heath
Barbara Heinemann
Danielle Herritt
Margaret & Rob Hillman
Sheryl Howard
Janet Humdy Morrison & George
Morrison
William Huschle
Roberta & Tom Jackson
Ann & John Jacobs
Darlene Jeter
Tamara Johnson*
Mark Johnson
Elizabeth Judge
Edward Juliano
Karin Kahn* & Jay Lebed
Patricia Keenan-Luppi
AnnMarie & Bill Kennedy
Sadik Keshwani
Mary Kralis Hoppe
Dennis & Janet Kunian
Mimi & Paul La Camera
Carolyn & Harry Labadorf
Sarah Lagosh
Chris Lawrence
Fran Lemire
Thomas Lena
Susan Littlefield & Martin Roper
Stephanie & Greg Loeber
Michael Lombard
Deanne Loonin*
David Mahoney
Regina Maniscalco & Donald Gilligan
Elizabeth Mansfield* & Michael
Carpenter
Nancy Marcucci
Patricia McDonagh
Michael McGrath
Paula & Paul McManus
Margaret McNeill
Mary Carol McNeill McBain
Sven Meier
Paul Melvin
Ann Merrifield & Wayne Clifford Davis
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 49

Individuals
Craig & Eleanor Meyer
Jo Frances Meyer
Mish Michaels* & Wes Atamian
George Moje
Kelly Morgan*
Alison Mosca
Johanne & John Mulkern
Lauren Dwyer & William Musto
Nell & John Nies
Marijane Norris-Geary
Steven Nothern
Eileen O’Connor
John O’Keefe
Andrea & Esdras Gamache Oliveira
Jennifer Pangburn
Ellen Parker
Heidi & Lewis Pearlson
Julianne Pemberton & Kent Plunkett
Joan & Guido Perera
Francine Pilgrim Pellegrino
Andy Pond
Nancy Prior
Thomas Reith III
Desmond Rohan
June & David Rokoff
Eneida Roman*
Lori Rutter* & Jeff Behrens
Patrice & John Ryan
Jessie Saacke & Freeman Deutsch
Mimi Santini-Ritt
Gary Savage
Susan Schepps
Kathy Sharpless
Audrey Shelto
Eric Silverman
Mary & Woody Small
Barbara Smith
Lori Smith Britton
Mary Smoyer*
Linda & David Tanner
Leah & Eric Tennen
Wendy Thurmond
Catherine Thut
Sally Vail*
Richard Valachovic
Karen Voci & Howard Zimmerman
Chris Volpe
Mary Wakefield
Roslyn Watson
Vicki Weiner
Joan & Henry Wheeler
Barbara Whelan
Robert & Patricia White
Bianca Whitworth
Matthew Wilder
Lisa Wohlleib & Seth Hoogasian
Marilyn Wright
Wendy & Jong Yang
Elizabeth Zuik*
$101 - $249
Sherwin Agard
Allyson Allen
Malina Amand
Kirstin Anderson
Hunter Austin
Kimberly Bailey
Robert Baker
Thomas Ball
Richard Todd Barber
Robyn Barros*
Maria & Alfred Barros
Charles Barry
Taymour Bassiri
Grant Bennett
Elizabeth Bennett Carroll & John Carroll
Suzi Benowitz
Bridget Bergan
Susan & George Bergmann
Vaneta Bernard*
JudyAnn Bigby
Catherine Bird
Elise Block Gottesman
Linda Brennan & Robert Lee
Kenneth Brown
Gerald Buckley
Franklin Canter
Margaret K. Carlson
Karen Carmody
Yolanda Celluci
Joanne Censullo
Tony Centrella
Barbara Cevallos
Stephen Chaletzky
Allison Cheney
Gary Chin
Philip Cieply
Lisa & Michael Ciesinski
Susan & Brian Clark
Billy Clark
Frances Cleveland
Shaune Conant
Christina Connelly
Laurie Connors
Valerie Craig
Mary Cronin*
Christine Crowley*
William Curran
Robert Curran
Jeanne & Gerald Curtis
Melanie Damsker
Andre Danesh
Margaret Dealy Ackerman
Michele Deziel
Patrick DiNardo
Julia Donahue
Kathy & John Drew
Elisabeth Egan*
Adam Eisenman
Todd Ellis
Jody Epstein & Lawrence T. Epstein
Mark Equi
Pamela Everhart*
Lisa Ewing
Meredith Falzone
Nicole Farucci
Anthony Feeherry
Sheila Feeney
Ann Flannery
Jody E. Forchheimer
Rosemary Ford
Christopher Frechette
Leigh & Lisa Freudenheim
Rashida Garcia*
Jim Giovinazzo
Sally & Richard Giuliani
Karanjah Gordon
Eugene Grathwohl
50 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

William Gunning
Betty Anne Haley
Debbie & Arthur Hall
Marion* & Stephen Hall
Robert E. Halpin
Chastity Harmon*
Mary Ellen Hart
Ann Hartstein & Cathy Stern
Mark Hebert
Megan Herald*
Barbara Holland
Brent & Laura Toni Holsinger*
Jason Hurd
Melissa Shaughnessy Hux & Ben Hux
Barry Hynes
Jeremy Javidi
Alice Jelin Isenberg & Phillip Isenberg
Kelly Johnson
Brian Jones
Doris Jones
Donald Juliano
Beth Kaphammer*
John Kattar
Richard Kelly
Colleen Kenney*
Janet Kershaw
Christopher Klepeis
Jim Kolb
Alan Krivelow
Toby Kusmer
Sarah Kuzniar
Thomas Landry
Desire’ Langmead
Tad Lee
Margaret Lee
Allison Lehane
Barbara Lerner
Ken Levine
Lenore & Elliot Lobel
Clare Lundberg*
Roderick MacDonald
Ken MacLaurin
Alison Maher
Natalie Marden
William Markey
Jerry* & Bob Martinson
Frederic Mason
Laura Mathieu
Ashley Mattison
Timothy McCann
Michael McConnell
Jeff McCormick
Cathleen McElligott
David McGinness
James McGrath
Helen & Nelson Merren
Robert Minasian
Charles Minasian
Beth Moran*
Kym Murray
Lauren Nasella*
Robert Naser
Mark Nasson
Judy Neufeld*
David Nicholson
Arlene & Denny Nolan
Nel Norwesh
Frank K. Novak
Sheila O’Leary McGarry
Patricia & Nicolo Onelli
Lillian Orchard
Judy Oshansky
Daniel O’Toole
Brett Painchaud
Daniel Passacantilli
Pamela Perretti*
Christopher Peters
Margot & Chris Phelps
Robert & Deborah Power
Craig Prentiss
Jorge & Juliet Rios
John Ritsher
Leeanne Rizzo
Pierre Robert
Mia Roberts
Kelly Robinson
Donald Rose
Jack Rossin
Richard Rostoff
Emily Saari
* Denotes our Legacy Society: current and former Big Sisters
Individuals
George Saba
Barbara Saint Andre, Esq.
Vera Strickland & Richard Sawyer
Rebecca Sawyer*
Helen E.R. Sayles
Loring & Andy Schwarz
Heather Seligman
Barbara Senecal, Esq.
Barbara & Jack Shaughnessy
William J. Shea
Willie Sheriff
Joe Shumbata
Claudia Silva
Mary Anne Small
Fedor Smith
Rosamond Smythe
Steven & Mrs. Janice Snider
Charlotte & Nicholas Sommerfeld
Chris Spilios
Paula Stone
Kerry Sullivan
Tim Sullivan
Phyllis Sullivan
Andry Sutanto
Kimberly* & Christopher Trainor
Cynthia Tsakonas
Ingeborg Uhlir
Gretchen Underwood*
Donald Vaughan
Rob Vlock
Andrea Welsh
Robert White
Kendalle White*
Jane Willis & Rich Davey
Jodi Wolf
John Woods
Sheryl Yamuder
Jessica Young
Nicole Zalkin
Martin Zieff
Diane Zipoli
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 51

Corporations & Foundations
$100,000+
United Way of Massachusetts Bay
& Merrimack Valley
$50,000 - $99,999
The Boston Foundation
Grand Circle Foundation
The Land Fund
Yawkey Foundation II
$25,000 - $49,999
Bank of America
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
The Connors Family
The Hearst Foundations
Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust
Klarman Family Foundation
Liberty Mutual Group
Linde Family Foundation
Normandy Real Estate Partners
State Street Corporation
TJX Companies
Tufts Health Plan
$10,000 - $24,999
Adelaide Breed Bayrd Foundation
Amelia Peabody Foundation
Anna B. Stearns Foundation
The Baupost Group
BJ’s Wholesale Club
The Boston Globe
Charles Hayden Foundation
City of Boston
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
EMC Corporation
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Janey Fund Charitable Trust
John Hancock Financial Services, Inc.
Mellon Trust of NE, Dean
Welfare Trust
Partners and Simons
Partners Healthcare
Pitney Bowes Management Services
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Raytheon Company
Suffolk Construction’s Red &
Blue Foundation
Verizon Foundation
William E. and Bertha E. Schrafft
Charitable Trust
Yozell Associates
$5,000 - $9,999
A.C. Ratshesky Foundation
Avaya
Bingham McCutchen LLP
BNY Mellon
Delta Dental of Massachusetts
Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation
Foundation To Be Named Later
Harvard Allston Partnership Fund
Massachusetts Service Alliance
Pamet Capital Management, LLC
PGR Media, Inc.
Rinet Company, LLC
UBS Financial Services, Inc.
VPNE Parking Solutions
$2,500 - $4,999
Abrams Capital Management
The Ad Club
AT&T
Biogen Idec Foundation
Citi Community Relations
Cogan Family Foundation
Eaton Vance Management
Fuller Foundation, Inc.
Greater Boston Chamber
of Commerce
GSN Digital,Worldwinner
The Little Family Foundation
Longfellow Benefits
The MENTOR Network
Natixis
The New England Patriots
Charitable Foundation
Orville W. Forte Charitable
Foundation, Inc.
Youths’ Friends Association, Inc
$1,000 - $2,499
Allied Barton
Ameriprise Financial
Anna Harvey Tekulsky Trust
Arbella Insurance
Bose Corporation
Charlotte Foundation
Children’s Hospital of Boston
Delta Elevator Service Corporation
Draper Laboratory
Dyer Brown & Associates
GE Foundation
Guckenheimer Enterprises, Inc.
Harvard University
Kelley Habib John Integrated Marketing
Lawrence-Carlin Insurance Agency
Margulies Perruzzi Architects
The Martin Fund
Mercer Human Resource Consulting
Milbank Memorial Fund
Rasky Baerlein Strategic
Communications
52 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Ropes & Gray LLP
Salem Five Cents Savings Bank
UGL Unicco
Weston Presidio Capital
$101- $999
AMB Property Corporation
Boston Centers for Youth and Families
Boston Red Sox Foundation
Boston University
Buta Charitable Foundation
Citizens’ Financial Group
Colliers, Meredith & Grew
Equity Office Properties
Ernest & Vera Clivio Charitable
Memorial Fund
Ernst & Young LLP
Gap Foundation
Getfused
Global Impact
Goldman Sachs & Co.
Hemenway & Barnes
Kronos Incorporated
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MAX Ultimate Food
McCarter & English, LLP
New Balance Foundation
New York Life Insurance Company
Oliver Wyman
Parthenon Capital Partners
Peabody Office Furniture Corporation
Robert Walden Saul Foundation
Sawyer Charitable Foundation
Starr, Finer, Starr LLP
TD Banknorth Charitable Foundation
The Goldberg Family Foundation
Trinity Communications
United Way of Pioneer Valley, Inc.
United Way of Tri-County
Walsh Transportation Group, Inc.
WCVB-TV
Wells Fargo
Welsh Consulting
WPG Solutions, Inc.
Corporations & Foundations
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 53

In Kind Donations, Gifts in Honor & In Memory
The Ad Club
Aquitaine
Au Chocolate
b.good
Barbara Lynch Gruppo
Basiques
Be Our Guest
The Beehive
Bello Productions
berkleemusic.com
Bianca Whitworth
BJ’s Wholesale Club
Boston Balloon Events
Boston Bruins
Boston Organics
Boston Pedicab
Boston Red Sox Foundation
Boston University Department
of Athletics
The Cambridge School of
Culinary Arts
City Sports
Clif Bar and Company
Columbus Restaurant Group
Come Sail Away Now
Commonwealth Worldwide
Chauffeured Transportation
Community Boating
Constant Contact
Denise Hajjar
Dog Devil Studio
Eaton Vance Management
ENL Studio
Entertainment Cruises
Eye Media
F1 Boston
Flour Bakery + Café
Foundation To Be Named Later
Gaslight Restaurant
Glow
Herb Chambers BMW Boston
In-Jean-Ius
The Institute of Contemporary Art
Ivy Restaurant
Jason Menendez
Jen Tisevich
Jill Callahan
Jillian’s Boston
Karting America LLC
Keurig, Inc.
Kickass Cupcakes
Kids Can Cook
Kimberly J. Cameron
Kings
The Knot
Lansdowne Pub
Legal Sea Foods, Inc.
Liberty Hotel
Lucky Strike Jillians
Mandarin Oriental, Boston
Masonic Angel Foundation, Inc.
Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority
Matthew Calistri
Michael Offner & Lonna Steinberg
Mint Julep
Museum of Science
Normandy Real Estate Partners, LLC
Nurture Spa
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc.
Oleana
Partridge, Anker and Horstmann
Pathways to Wellness
Photo Fun Box, LLC
Popchips
POPS Restaurant
Prize Possessions
Radius Restaurant
Rafanelli Events
Rick and Kathy Lieb
Roffi Salon & Spa
Ross-Simons
Sheraton Boston Hotel
Skating Club of Boston
Sonesta International Hotels
Corporation
The Steamship Authority
Stop & Shop Supermarkets
Sven Meier
Talbots
Tee Major Fitness
Terri L.B. Partridge
Timberland
Twilight
Ultimate Boot Camp LLC
University of Massachusetts Club
Velvet Fly, Inc.
Vineyard Vines
W Boston
W.S Badger Company, Inc
54 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Kathleen Wallace, President
Colleen Kenney, Vice President and Support Chair
Caitlin Sanborn, Clerk
Megan Lynne Herald, Advocacy Co-Chair
Jennifer Cole Ripman, Advocacy Co-Chair
Mary de la Rosa Mabey, Engagement Co-Chair
Charlotte Clark, Engagement Co-Chair
Rachel Russell, Connection Co-Chair
Trinette Faint, Connection Co-Chair
Diversity Coucil /Alumnae Association
Diversity Council
Historically more than 80% of our Little Sisters come from an African-American, Hispanic or Asian
background. Big Sister’s volunteers or staff, however do not reflect this diversity. In 2009, we formed a
Diversity Council comprised of current and former Big Sisters, staff, Board Members, and community
leaders who were committed to increasing the number of volunteers
and staff of color as well as augmenting the cultural competency of
Big Sister Association. Since its launch, the council has increased
Manolia Charlotin
Wanda Droz
Ivys Fernandez
Charmain Jackman
Ana Leon
Courtney Leonard
Amanda Martinez
Essence McGill Arzu
Bernice Osborne
Keisha Pierre
Kia Prescott
Chiquita Rice
Shannon Robinson
Eneida Roman
Claudia Silva
Alexandra Taylor
Angelica Vargas
Erica Warner
Lesley White- Buefort
Mariama White-Hammond
Bianca Whitworth
Kristina Kyles
Linda Zhang
Alumnae Association
The Alumnae Association is a mobilized community of former and
current Big Sisters and former Little Sisters who have experienced the
positive impact of mentoring and want more girls to have access to
the same opportunity. The women in this network are ambassadors
of the benefits derived from research-based mentoring practices.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 55

It takes skill and experience to provide the training, assessment, and support necessary to make and
maintain quality mentoring relationships. The majority of our staff members are trained social workers,
most of whom hold professional licenses and have career or educational backgrounds in issues affecting
women and girls.
These are the people who answer the calls coming from girls and families requesting a Big Sister.
They raise critical funds needed to support our mentoring programs. They recruit women to become
Big Sisters. They lead our Group Mentoring programs. They train other youth-serving agencies in
gender-sensitive programming. They make mentoring relationships and support them. No matter what
their role, our entire staff is dedicated to our mission of helping girls realize their full potential by
providing them with positive mentoring relationships with women.
Staff as of December 31, 2010:
Deborah Re, Chief Executive Officer
Senior Management Team
Alexis Bulkley, Director of
Development
Maren Johnson, Director of Marketing
and Communications
Judith Keefe, Director of Finance
Charles Phillips, Executive Projects
Manager
Mia Roberts, Chief Operating Officer
Heidi Ziobro, Director of Programs
Administration and Human Resources
Laura Toni Holsinger, Manager of
Administration and Human Resources
Program Support
Sharon Daura, Associate Director
of Programs
Cheryl Luacaw, Front Office/Data
Support Associate
Development
Jonah Beukman, Development
Coordinator
Brenna Downing, Manager of
Individual Giving
Lindsay McConchie, Special Events
Coordinator
Community-Based Mentoring
Nadine Alvarez, LCSW, Case Aide
Suzanne Benowitz, LICSW, Manager
of Match Support
Amanda Bourgeois, M.Ed, Social
Worker
Laura Buckley, Case Aide
Patricia Burke, LCSW, Social Worker
Amy Butterworth, Consultant
Andria Dunn, LSW, Social Worker
Helen Fullerton, LSW, Social Worker
Jennifer Gentile, Program Support
Coordinator
Megan Halmo, MSW, Social Worker
Rebecca Hayes, Social Worker
Julia Horvitz, LICSW, Manager of
Enrollment & Matching
Nicole McNeil, LCSW, Case Aide
Jessica Mendenhall, LCSW,
Coordinator of Support Programs
Dieu-My Phan, LCSW, Social Worker
Mikki Pugh, MSW, Social Worker
Joanne Roja, LICSW, Social Worker
Jessica Rousselle, LCSW, Case Aide
Marla Zarrow, LCSW, Social Worker
Group Mentoring
Talea Cornelius, Social Work Intern
Bevin Culver, LCSW, Group Social
Worker
Margot Phelps, LICSW, Manager of
Group Mentoring
Grace Taylor, Social Work Intern
Katie Crandall-Worley, MSSA, LCSW,
Social Worker
Danielle Twohig, Social Work Intern
School-Based Mentoring
Elise Block Gottesman, LICSW,
Manager of School-Based Mentoring
Alissa Greif, LICSW, Social Worker
Sara Pizzute, LCSW, Social Worker
Nicole Young, LCSW, Social Worker
Diane Zipoli, LICSW, Consultant
Recruitment & Community
Partnerships
Sheena Collier, M.Ed, Manager of
Recruitment & Community Partnerships
Isabel Leong, Recruitment &
Community Partnerships Assistant
Bernice Osborne, Recruitment
Coordinator
Natasha Threatts, Highland Street
Corps Ambassador of Mentoring
56 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

Our Board of Directors and Advisory Board are composed of members from diverse industries and
professions, who lend their skills and talents to increase the capacity of the organization. Through their
work on committees and fundraising events they play a major role in expanding the Big Sister community.
Our Young Professional Board creates opportunities for us to further our reach by connecting Big Sister
with the next generation of philanthropists. This diverse group of under-40 leaders is charged with
engaging the young professional community of Boston in our volunteer and fundraising activities.
Board Members as of December 31, 2010:
Chair, Timothy J. O’Brien, Blue Cross
Blue Shield of Massachusetts
President, Maxwell D. Bardeen, UBS
Financial Services, Inc.
Vice President, Sharon McNally, The
Connors Family Office
Treasurer, Aileen Keaney, Audax Group
Clerk, Essence R. McGill Arzu, Foley
Hoag
Thomas L. Barrette, Jr., Maine PCS
Terri Campbell, Liberty Mutual Group
Denise Casper, Middlesex District
Attorney’s Office
Jane Deery, PGR Media
Robert Egan
Suzanne Fay Glynn, Glynn Law Offices
Susan Hoffman, BJ’s Wholesale Club
Marvin Irby
Kathleen Kiely, Ad Club of Boston
Janet Kraus
Robin Loporchio, Raytheon Company
Carol McKean, Carol McKean Events
Dolores Mitchell, Group Insurance
Commission
Kerry Nelson, Skystone Capital
Management
Sabrina Hundley Nicholson
Lynne L. O’Connor, Vistaprint
Janet Porter, Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute
Joseph T. Realmuto, Jr., Pricewaterhouse
Coopers
Lisa Scannell, Argo Group, US
Jacqueline M. Smith, CB Richard Ellis
Karen Voci, Harvard Pilgrim Health
Care Foundation
Kathleen Wallace, RINET Company
John Yozell, Yozell Associates,
Employee Benefit Plans
2010 Young Professionals Board
Chair, Chris Lawrence, Meredith & Grew
President, Lucy Campbell
Vice President, Maria Fernandes,
Children’s Hospital Boston
Banker, Heather Cloran, Yozell
Associates, Employee Benefit Plans
Program Officer, Nicole Cushion,
MAX Ultimate Food
C. Allen Bargfrede, Berklee College
of Music
Robyn Barros, Gerson Lehrman Group
Donavan Brown
Kellie Chung, Income Research and
Management
Elisabeth Egan, Oliver Wyman
Suzanne Lieb, UBS Private Wealth
Management
Sven Meier, IBM
Claudia Silva, ARGUS
Elizabeth Zuik, PNC Wealth
Management
Advisory Board
Jack Agnew, Manning Selvage & Lee
of Boston
Jane Alpers, Denneen & Company
Susan B. Connolly, Mercer Human
Resource Consulting
Christine A. Creelman
Susan Esper, Deloitte
Carol Fischman
Janet Humdy Morrison, Novations
Group, Inc.
Nancy Korman
Renée Landers, Suffolk University
Law School
Mishelle Michaels
Rose Setterberg
Jacqueline Sonnabend, Sonesta
International Hotels
Jean C. Temple, First Light Capital
Beth Terrana
Pat Tietbohl, Accounting Management
Solutions, Inc.
Marie A. Turley, Boston Women’s
Commission
Liz A. Walker
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 57

My name is Lisbett. I ’ m 12
and live in Dorchester. I want
a Big Sister so I have
someone to talk to who
will be a good role model. If
I could change one thing in
the world it would be all the
violence. I hope my Big Sister
likes animals and we can go
to the aquarium or the zoo!
My name is Jourdan. I am 14 and
I live in Mattapan. I’d describe
myself as different, and mature.
I have friends, but all they want
to do is socialize. I want a Big
Sister so we can go to an art
class, go to a cafe and talk,
or take a martial arts class
together. I hope my Big Sister
can speak lots of different
languages and teach me, too.
In their own words
My name is Kira. I’m 15 years old and
live in South Weymouth. If I could have any
three wishes they would be to have $1 million,
have a house my mom can get around in easily,
and go to college. If I could change anything
it would be that there would be no more
murder. I hope my Big Sister will pay
attention and listen to me, and will be fun.
My name is Lydia. I’m 14 and live in Roxbury.
When I grow up I want to be a doctor that
travels to different parts of the country
to help people in need. If I had three wishes
they would be to have one million more wishes,
to make every disease in the world go away and
to make global warming go away. I hope my Big
Sister will be fun and like to laugh - like me!
58 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

My name is Layla. I’m 12 years old and live in
Dorchester. I want to be a judge or a teacher when I
grow up, maybe both! I want a Big Sister because my
brother passed away and sometimes I need time away
from my house. I can’t wait to meet my Big Sister
and spend lots of time together with her.
My name is Akazha and
I am 14 years old. I live
in Mattapan with my
grandmother. I am an
artist and a singer and
I’d like to have a Big
Sister who can speak my
language, the creative
language.
My name is Shelbbie. I’m 10
years old and I live in Hyde
Park. If I could change
anything in the world, people
wouldn’t litter so much, and
would help the elderly more.
I want a Big Sister who is
athletic, likes to do arts and
crafts, and likes dogs.
Big Sister plans to serve
nearly 3,000 girls in 2011.
My name is Yehemilin. I ’ m 13 and live in Dorchester. I like
everything about school - especially science - and want
to be a doctor when I grow up. I love to paint, dance, and
go to the beach. I want a Big Sister so I have someone
to hang out with when my mom is gone. I hope she is fun,
likes to watch movies, and will help me learn English.
My name is Yvonne. I’m 8 years old and I live in Revere
with my grandparents. There aren’t a lot of
kids in my neighborhood, so I would like a Big Sister.
I think that I’m nice and friendly and hope that my
Big Sister likes the same things that I like: museums,
math, dancing, and being silly.
Big Sister Association of Greater Boston 2010 Annual Report 59

60 2010 Annual Report www.bigsister.org

OFFICE
161 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Tel (617) 236-8060
Fax (617) 236-8075
WEB
www.bigsister.org
PRODUCED BY
Cat Laine
Director of Marketing
and Communications
DESIGNED BY
Barbara Guthrie
www.barbaraguthrie.com
PRINTED BY
Millennium Printing Corporation
A SOMWBA Certified
Woman-Owned Business
Recipient of:
Proud affiliate of
Big Brothers Big Sisters
of America
Big Sister is supported by: