Enroll your child (ages 6+) to be matched with a caring and supportive adult mentor. Our program, backed by professional Case Managers, ensures a tailored and enriching experience. Your child will enjoy engaging activities, build self-confidence, and develop lasting friendships.
By fostering quality mentoring relationships, BBBSCNNJ strives to nurture children into competent and confident community members. We hold ourselves accountable for each child in our program, ensuring they achieve higher aspirations, greater confidence, better relationships, educational success, and make positive choices for themselves and others.
There are over 921 active matches in our program, each one of them has a story.
Ensuring the safety of the children in our programs is our top priority, and we maintain unwavering standards to uphold this commitment. Our agency strictly adheres to the National Standards of Excellence set by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
In addition, Big Brothers Big Sisters provides mandatory child safety training, “Your Child’s Personal Safety,” to parents and guardians. We welcome your questions and feedback, as we believe it’s our responsibility as a youth-serving organization to equip our families and community with evidence-based tools to keep our kids safe.
Throughout the Match, our professional Case Managers maintain consistent communication with you, your child, and your child’s Big, ensuring strong, healthy relationships while assessing the highest level of child safety.
Completion of the BBBSCNNJ volunteer application
In-depth interview with a professional BBBSCNNJ Case Manager
Criminal background checks, reference checks, and fingerprinting
Mandatory volunteer training sessions led by our professional BBBSCNNJ Case Managers
Most children in our programs come from single-parent homes and may be facing emotional, social, or academic challenges. All children are from Bergen, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren Counties, and they must be between the ages of 6-17 at the time of enrollment.
Upon receiving an application from the family, a BBBSCNNJ Case Manager contacts them to arrange an interview with the parent or guardian and the child. Information gathered during the interview guides our Case Managers in making a Big & Little Match based on interests, personalities, and geographic areas.
We request at least a one-year commitment from the parent or guardian, the child, and the Big, fostering a relationship that can grow and provide the most benefit for the child.
Bergen County
Passaic County
Hunterdon County
Ocean County
Middlesex County
Somerset County
Monmouth County
Sussex County
Morris County
Warren County
Bigs are at least 19 years old and want to make a positive impact in the life of a young person. These mentors are friends, role models, advocates, and someone to stand with and empower children as they realize their full potential.
The enrollment process for Bigs includes an application, confirmation of identity via social security number and driver’s license, criminal history background check, driving record check, auto insurance verification, personal/professional references, an extensive interview with BBBSCNNJ staff, volunteer orientation, and ongoing training and support. Child safety, match meeting consistency and positive outcomes are our top priorities.
The role of a parent or guardian is very important to the success of the Match. The parent or guardian engages with the program by supporting the friendship, and being consistent with communication between Big and BBBSCNNJ Case Manager. Committing to this is essential and will help to set up your child’s Match for success.
Our team takes time during the enrollment process to learn more about both the Big and the Little, then a Match is created based on information gathered at each step. Matches are made based on many factors including location, personalities, interests, life experiences, academic and career interests, and more!
That’s when the fun begins! Matches meet approximately 2-4 hours, twice a month and stay in touch in between outings. Bigs and Littles choose when they get together and what they do (with parents’ or guardian’s permission). You and your child will have a dedicated professional Case Manager throughout your child’s Match that will monitor the friendship and offer guidance and resources for you and your family.
Matches can remain active with BBBSCNNJ until your child reaches age 18 or graduates from high school. Our traditional Community-Based Program supports youth ages 6-18, however as we discover new needs for mentorship beyond the high school years we have developed our Big Futures program serving 18+.
The BBBSCNNJ program is free of charge to families and Bigs.
We are committed to providing a holistic approach to serving the family unit by providing ongoing support and supervision to the Big, the Little, and the parent or guardian. We offer training and guidance to ensure child safety and healthy relationship development.
We comply with the national standards of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.