Our Stories

Collaboration is Key

September 28, 2015

Since 2006, The Stollery Charitable Foundation (SCF) has supported our agency with over $700,000 through their endowed private family foundation founded by Robert and Shirley Stollery. In 2011, a grant provided by the foundation helped ease the various costs incurred during the amalgamation of Edmonton’s former Boys & Girls Clubs with the former Big Brothers Big Sisters…

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WANTED: Bigs In School

September 16, 2015

Who are the best volunteers? People just like you! Our Volunteer Recruitment Team is currently focused on recruiting over 100 caring adults to volunteer as Bigs in Schools for the 2015-2016 school year (and beyond!). If you or someone you know has an hour a week to share with a child please read on and…

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Laurie and Tannan: Incredible Blessings

August 24, 2015

With a husband and three growing sons at home, Laurie’s life was fuelled by sports and testosterone. When she signed up to volunteer as an in-school mentor with BBBS, it’s easy to see why she wanted to be matched with a little girl. “The agency interviews you to match you with the best fit, and…

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Making A Kiddo Feel Special

August 12, 2015

The first time Gwen was told she should become a volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters (as we were called at the time), she declined and told us she was just too busy. A year later, she was approached again. But this time something was different. “I realized I was just making excuses not to.…

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A Place for Tutoring & Mentoring

July 27, 2015

The EXCEL (Excite, Challenge, and Empower Learners Program) has grown tremendously since its inception in September 2013. EXCEL is a supervised after school homework program that supports kids from Grade One to Grade Six at McKee School who could benefit from additional support with their schoolwork. Each Wednesday throughout the school year, students get to…

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Building Communities

June 25, 2015

The year was 1990. Canada was in the middle of the Gulf War – the first ever televised – and nearly every citizen had their attention glued to a TV. Big Brothers and Big Sisters had just merged in Edmonton and we were trying to sell tickets to our Dream Home Lottery. We struggled to…

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Club Kids “Get In The Game”

May 29, 2015

Since July 2013, close to 5,000 young people across Canada have been given a sporting chance thanks to “Canadian Tire Jumpstart Get in the Game!”, a pilot program launched by Jumpstart and Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada that aims to remove the financial barriers keeping many kids from participating in organized sports and physical…

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The Gift that Keeps on Giving: The Butler Family Foundation

May 25, 2015

Like many Edmontonians, William Butler wanted to help make his community a better place. After years of donating to numerous non-profits, he decided to be more intentional with his philanthropy by establishing the Butler Family Foundation in 2007, along with the help of four other family members. Since 2008, the Butler Family Foundation has given…

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Watch As This Average Guy Steps Up to Help Out

May 13, 2015

At BGCBigs, we’re pretty honest about the high need for male role models in young boys’ lives. It’s true for our community of Edmonton, for the communities where we operate satellite offices in Alberta, and for all of North America. While we also need good women to step forward and become Big Sisters, the need…

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