Testimonials

"Wednesdays were when my Big Sister, Germaine visited me at school. I did not think there was much significance in reading other than flipping through pages of National Geographic to stare at animals-or food. In fact, for a really long time, I thought my favourite children's book author was named 'Robert Munch' as I spelled it without the 's' for years. Having Germaine as my Big Sister changed my perspective. I remember going to the school library and looking for books after hearing about Germaine’s travels back and the places she visited with the hope of seeing them in person one day. Whether it is the three hundred books from Germaine that I accumulated in my room over the years, souvenirs, or the concept of board games. There are numerous things in my life that I hold onto so dearly now. Many of these things relate to my Big Sister, Germaine."

Former Littler Sister, Kathy Diep

"Carol and Carlos have been matched for 8 wonderful years. While it’s not common for a Big Sister to be matched with a Little Brother, it is the only way Carol and Carlos would have it. As the two have been matched for such a long time, it is natural that they would sit and reminisce when asked about favorite times together–and yet the first time they met and drew evil monsters stands out as a top runner. As we sat on the couches of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Riverdale office chatting, the emotions of the match emerged as Carlos expressed how much Carol being in his life has helped him; “I actually feel like she is family.”

Carol and Carlos: A Match that Truly Stands the Test of Time

“My son being part of BGCbigs has helped him a lot. It’s built confidence in him. He’s learned so much and now he can stand on his own without hesitating that he can also be like the other kids. The biggest change I’ve seen in him over the years is in his maturity and insight. He used to focus on learning the English language, and now he’s focused on learning the meaning of life, and on living it.”

Mother of a child in the program