Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona Reveals Groundbreaking Research on the Long-Term Impacts of Mentorship

PHOENIX, AZ, UNITED STATES, August 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona (BBBSAZ) reveals a groundbreaking study on the transformative power of mentorship in shaping young people’s educational, economic, and social trajectories.

Conducted by leading researchers from Harvard University and the U.S. Department of Treasury, this first-of-its-kind study reveals how mentorship programs like Big Brothers Big Sisters can serve as a scalable solution to reduce socioeconomic disparities over time.

Rooted in 30 years of data, this study highlights real-world outcomes for youth in Big Brothers Big Sisters programs, including higher education achievement, stable employment, and financial well-being. The data shows:

BBBS alumni are 20% more likely to attend college than their peers.

Mentoring helps close economic gaps—participants see a 15% increase in lifetime earnings.

The economic benefits extend to society, with increased tax revenues recouping the cost of mentoring within just seven years.

These findings reinforce the power of mentorship—not just for individual young people but for our communities and economy. (To learn more, visit https://bbbsaz.org/impact/)

This study comes as BBBSAZ proudly marks 70 years of empowering youth in Maricopa and portions of Pinal Counties. Since its founding in 1955, BBBSAZ has served more than 65,000 children, operating on the belief that every child holds the potential to succeed and thrive in life.

To commemorate this milestone, BBBSAZ is launching a year-long anniversary campaign running from July 2025 through June 2026, with the goal of securing 1,000 donors to support life-changing mentorships for Valley youth.

“For seven decades, our mission has never wavered and this research shows our mission is making a difference in our community,” said Debbie Castillo-Smith, Interim CEO of BBBSAZ. “Mentorship is more than a program; it’s a strategy for long-term societal change. As we invest in mentoring, we’re investing in a future where every young person, regardless of background, has the opportunity to thrive and lead”

Most children served by BBBSAZ come from single-parent, low-income households. With the support of dedicated volunteers—our Bigs—we create meaningful, professionally supported relationships with youth—our Littles—ages 6 to 18. These relationships have a proven, lasting impact on the lives of young people, helping them grow into confident, productive members of our community.


CAMPAIGN GOAL: 1,000 DONORS TO CELEBRATE 70 YEARS OF SERVICE

We’re inviting the community to invest in the future of local youth by becoming one of our 70th Anniversary Donors at various giving levels:

70 Big Donors at $7,000+ ($583/month): Funds one month of match support for 100 mentor pairs

70 Donors at $2,500+ ($208/month): Supports the creation and professional support of one new match for an entire year

70 Donors at $1,000+ ($83/month): Sends 10 matches to Big Futures workforce and college readiness events

70 Donors at $500+ ($42/month): Hosts a STEM Saturday event for Bigs and Littles

70 Donors at $250+ ($21/month): Sponsors a child in our site-based programs for one month

700 New Monthly Donors at $10+: Supports monthly outings and activities for matches

A gift that gives back - all individual contributions qualify for the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit—a dollar-for-dollar credit of up to $495 for individuals or $987 for couples filing jointly, claimable through April 15, 2026. Your financial support today helps us develop tomorrow’s college graduates, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. Visit www.bbbsaz.org/donate to make your donation, learn more about mentorship, or become a volunteer.


ABOUT BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL ARIZONA

For 70 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona has operated under the belief that, inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life and our mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. As the nation’s largest donor and volunteer-supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages six through 18, in Maricopa County and Pinal County. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people, as well as our Big volunteers. For more information, contact BBBSAZ at 602-264-BIGS or visit www.bbbsaz.org.

Charlotte Shaff
THE MEDIA PUSH
+1 602-418-8534
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