03-31-2026
NEWS:
IGNITE | March 31, 2026
BBBSNN Power and Promise Updates
At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada, we believe that consistent advocacy requires consistent communication. These quarterly updates are a testament to our commitment to stewardship in our community. By sharing our data, challenges, and wins, we ensure that our stakeholders remain aligned with our mission. Your investment in our work allows us to defend the potential of our youth with precision and integrity.
Kicking off 2026
Since January 1, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada has been in constant motion, building momentum, deepening relationships, and continuing to defend the potential of youth across our community. Every campaign, every event, and every partnership has been rooted in connection, opportunity, and impact.
We started the year by carrying forward the energy of our Leave your Mark: end-of-year campaign, which reminded us just how strong this community is when it comes together. Through the sale of donor wall tiles, and our Defender of Potential gear, supporters found meaningful ways to leave their mark on our mission.
National Mentoring Month
January also brought the celebration of National Mentoring Month, a time dedicated to uplifting the power of mentorship. National Mentoring Month gave us the chance to celebrate the incredible Bigs who show up every day for their Littles, including Alexys, Stefanie, Kiersten, Bekah, Donna, and Pearson. Their consistency, care, and commitment are what drive real impact across Northern Nevada. We also had the opportunity to highlight these stories through our KOLO 8 interviews, sharing with the community what mentorship truly looks like in action.
Big Bash
That spirit of celebration carried into Big Bash, an evening created entirely for our Bigs. With bowling, games, food, drinks, and space to bring a guest, the night was designed to give back to the people who give so much. After an incredible National Mentoring Month, it was a chance for Bigs to connect, celebrate their impact, and truly feel the value they bring to our community. This included the celebration our first Northern Nevada Big of the Year Awards:
- 2025 Northern Nevada Partners’ Match of the Year | Donald & Kendra Newsome
- 2025 Northern Nevada Big Brother of the Year | Tom Dubos
- 2025 Northern Nevada Big Sister of the Year | Jeanette Smith
Program Updates
Match Activities
At the heart of our work are the Matches, and this year has been filled with hands-on experiences that bring mentorship to life. From exploring the Discovery Museum to knitting at Jimmy Beans Wool, and ZLINE Cares Service Day, Bigs and Littles have built connection through shared moments. These experiences go beyond activities. They create space for growth, confidence, and real relationship building.
Thank you to our partners for making these moments possible and investing in our Matches.
High School Bigs
Our High School Bigs program shows that mentorship can start early and create impact on both sides. Through our partnership with Dayton High School and Dayton Elementary, high school students (Bigs) stepped into leadership roles, supporting their Littles while building empathy, responsibility, and communication skills. Each week, the Bigs learned and applied what it means to lead through mentorship. As Littles grew in confidence, Bigs found a deeper sense of purpose and accountability. We closed with a meaningful community celebration, highlighting the growth, connection, and impact of every match.
Big Futures
Our Big Futures program is a 10-session experience designed to prepare Littles for life after graduation, encouraging them to pursue one of the Three E’s: Enrollment in college, Enlistment in the military, or Employment in a living-wage career. Through this program, our Littles have seen the ins-and-outs of stadium options, behind the scenes of Corwin Ford, and heard from numerous guest speakers who have had different journeys to their current careers.
In addition to this being an incredible learning experience, to support consistency and engagement, Littles can earn $40 for each Core Session attended (up to $320), $60 for each Immersion Session (up to $120), and receive a tablet upon completion with at least 75% attendance. In the few short months since Big Futures started, we are already seeing outcomes, including conversations about what the next step is for our Littles, new perspectives on what is possible, and deeper connections.
Stewardship in Action
Internal Developments
We are also excited about the growth happening within our organization. As we continue to strengthen our foundation, we are preparing to welcome a new Development Director, Nichole Schembre, who will help guide the future of our fundraising and community engagement efforts.
We also reached a major milestone with the completion of our 2025 Annual Report. This report captures the impact of the past year, highlighting the stories, data, and collective effort that drive our mission forward. We are proud of this work and excited to share it with our community.
Generous Support
We are incredibly grateful for the generous support from Whittier Trust and Magnetic Aesthetic. Following a record-breaking Better Together Challenge with over 800 donations, Whittier Trust awarded a $10,000 check to support our Big Futures and High School Bigs programs.
Alongside this, an incredibly meaningful contribution from Magnetic Aesthetic Grand Opening further strengthens our ability to create impactful experiences for our youth. These investments directly fuel our mission and help us continue defending the potential of young people across Northern Nevada.
Looking forward
As we carry this momentum forward, we are preparing for exciting upcoming events like the MENtor Mixer, Little Graduation, Big Futures Celebration, 25 year Anniversary, Summer Picnic, Biggest Little Golf Tournament, Big Chefs Big Gala, and more to create opportunities for our community to show up and get involved. Visit our Events Page, follow us on social media, and subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop.
To our Bigs, Littles, families, partners, donors, and supporters, sincerely thank you for giving your time, your energy, and your heart to this mission. Your commitment is what turns moments into impact and relationships into lasting change. Because of you, potential is not just something we talk about. It is something we actively defend, every single day.
THANK YOU!