The agency is recognized for outstanding program team leadership
Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (May 11, 2026) — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County (BBBSBC) has been recognized as a Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) Growth Award Winner for program excellence in 2025. Every year, the BBBSA Nationwide Leadership Council, made up of local agency leaders and board members, selects agencies for excellence in the organization’s signature youth mentoring program. Out of more than 230 agencies across the country, BBBSBC is one of 60 organizations to receive this honor.
The Growth Award recognizes agencies that have demonstrated strategic growth in the number of mentors (“Bigs”) and youth (“Littles”) matched through the program, year over year. In the past year, BBBSBC has served 1,333 youth and grown its local services by 28.79 percent.
“I am incredibly proud of our board and staff for their dedication to expanding mentorship opportunities for young people in Broward County,” said Malena Mendez, president and CEO of BBBSBC. “Their commitment to growing our matches ensures that even more children have access to life-changing relationships. This achievement reflects the power of mentorship and the impact we can create together in building a brighter future for our community.”
For over 100 years, BBBSA has been dedicated to advancing equity, impact and growth across the organization, making a lasting impact on the lives of young people. Today, the organization creates and supports mentoring relationships, helping build self-confidence and emotional well-being, and empowering young people on a path to graduate with a plan for their futures and a mentor whose impact can last a lifetime.
“Real growth goes beyond metrics — it’s about extending the reach and transforming the lives of young people who need mentorship most,” said Artis Stevens, President and CEO of BBBSA. “Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County has shown an extraordinary dedication to expanding access and opportunity, connecting more volunteers with more youth than ever before. Their commitment to engaging a diverse range of mentors reflects their firm conviction that every young person deserves a caring advocate in their corner. We celebrate their leadership and the meaningful, lasting change they continue to inspire.”
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County
For more than 50 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County has offered unprecedented access to resources to empower youth to reach their full potential through meaningful mentoring relationships. These mentoring relationships build self-confidence and emotional well-being, encourage young people to stay on a path to graduation and higher education, and help them establish a plan for a successful future. The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County is to ignite the power and promise of youth. For more information, visit bbbsbroward.org.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Founded in 1904, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is the largest and most experienced youth mentoring organization in the United States. The mission of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is to create and support mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Big Brothers Big Sisters’ evidence-based approach is designed to create positive youth outcomes, including educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and improved relationships. Big Brothers Big Sisters has over 230 local agencies serving more than 5,000 communities across all 50 states. For more information, visit: bbbs.org.
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