Getting Involved
Every week, more than 500 men and women of the Fox Valley Region share their lives with their little brothers and sisters. They may go to the beach, see a movie, or throw a frisbee around at the park. They talk about life, school and family. They learn about each other, themselves and what it means to be a friend.

Who is a Big?
Big Brothers and Big Sisters are all kinds of people -- from high school and college students to business people to retirees -- who volunteer to spend time with children. Bigs sometimes spend as little as one hour each week with a child in need. Through this mentoring program, both child and adults share everyday experiences that enrich the lives of all involved.

Who is a Little?
Littles are youths, from 6 to 17 years old, who come to Big Brothers Big Sisters either through a parent, guardian or the Big Brothers Big Sisters In Schools program, through the recommendation of a teacher. Littles are from single and two-parent homes, from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. The genesis of a match is that a parent, guardian or teacher believes that a child could benefit from the presence of an additional caring adult in his/her life. The parent or guardian gives permission for the child to participate.