Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson, & Union Counties, NJ

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson, & Union Counties, NJ Big Brothers Big Sisters is the nation's premier mentoring organization supporting one-to-one relationships with children in need. Mentor Today! Donate Today!

Visit www.BigsAndKids.org for more info.

📢 Did you know? Boys can wait 2x as long as girls for a mentor. That’s too long for a young person who needs someone in ...
02/01/2025

📢 Did you know? Boys can wait 2x as long as girls for a mentor. That’s too long for a young person who needs someone in their corner.

👊 Don’t be that guy. Be the who makes a difference!

💡 It’s the start of a new year, the perfect time to step up: 4 hours a month + 1 year of commitment = A lifetime of impact

Share what you love:
🏋🏽 Gym sessions
🏀 Hoops in the park
🎮 Gaming marathons
🎨 Museum visits
🎶 Music jams
🍔 Foodie adventures
🌍 Exploring new local places

Whether it’s leveling up in a game or in life, your time can spark confidence, curiosity, and connection in a young person. 💚

🚀 Sign up today: www.BigsAndKids.org/BecomeaBig

Gracias. Obrigado. Merci. Arigato Gozaimasu. Danke. Thank You. 💚 Such simple words—spoken in any language—have the power...
01/25/2025

Gracias. Obrigado. Merci. Arigato Gozaimasu. Danke. Thank You. 💚 Such simple words—spoken in any language—have the power to brighten someone’s day and celebrate their impact. Today, on Day, we take a moment to express gratitude for the mentors who inspire, guide, and uplift others—and for the mentees who trust us to walk alongside them on their journeys.

Celebrate With Us by sharing your mentorship story:
💌 Write a note to your mentor or mentee.
📸 Share a photo of your time together and tag us on social media with and !
🙌 Submit your story to be featured by our agency and inspire others to get involved. Click here to share your story - https://forms.gle/RGqWqqUHu6rBtDmx8.

Together, let’s spotlight the relationships that define what mentorship is all about.

“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfold...
01/20/2025

“We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there ‘is’ such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy continues to inspire people to strive for a more just and equitable world. As we commemorate this special holiday, may we all reflect on the principles of equality, justice, and love that Dr. King championed. On this special day of service, may we reflect on the ways that we can take action to create a better tomorrow and ensure equal rights are enjoyed by all.

*Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. pictured visiting Newark, NJ in 1968.

𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐲!Gov. Phil Murphy’s 2025 State of the State Address, and BBBS’ own Carlos Lejnieks was an invited ...
01/19/2025

𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐉𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐲!
Gov. Phil Murphy’s 2025 State of the State Address, and BBBS’ own Carlos Lejnieks was an invited guest to the Governor’s reception and guest on the Assembly chambers floor of SenM. Teresa Ruiziz.

Together, amplifying the power of why !

🎉🏒 Thankful Thursday Spotlight! 🖤❤️ A huge shoutout to our long-time partner, the Devils Youth Foundation, for their inc...
01/17/2025

🎉🏒 Thankful Thursday Spotlight! 🖤❤️ A huge shoutout to our long-time partner, the Devils Youth Foundation, for their incredible support in mentor recruitment, programming, and funding!

🚨 On Saturday, January 11, they scored a hat trick for mentoring during an unforgettable celebration of :
🎓 Career Panel: High school and college Littles gained insights into careers in sports management and franchise operations, thanks to amazing speakers Whitney Lee, Angelica Vidal, Jessica Narciso, and moderator Kate Whitman Anis, Director of the Devils Youth Foundation.
🥅 Suite & Stand Experience: Over 40 mentors, mentees, and families cheered on the NJ Devils in an exhilarating game that went into overtime, with the Devils clinching a 3-2 victory!
📸 Meet & Greet: The night closed with a special moment as matches met the Defenceman Dougie Hamilton, known for scoring hat tricks!

Our Littles are still glowing from this unforgettable experience. 💫 Thank you, Kate Whitman Anis and the Devils Youth Foundation team, for curating such impactful !

💡 Missed your chance to sign up as a mentor at the game? Don’t worry—you can still join the team! Click the link in our bio to sign up and mention you were referred by the NJ Devils! 🖤❤️

BBBS staff holiday party 2025! Such a fun tradition with some of Mentoring’s finest!
12/19/2024

BBBS staff holiday party 2025!
Such a fun tradition with some of Mentoring’s finest!

Happy ! Grateful for the amazing start to our site-based program at PS17 in Jersey City with from Saint Peter’s Univ...
12/05/2024

Happy !
Grateful for the amazing start to our site-based program at PS17 in Jersey City with from Saint Peter’s University! 🦚 Our first activity, a Gratitude Garden for Thanksgiving, was a beautiful way to continue the season of giving. Huge thanks to PS 17 Principal Brower and SPU CEEL Director Taina Cutler, for their unwavering support, and to the SPU Bigs for making this all possible! 🙌 Stay tuned—this is just the beginning of something special.

As we gather in gratitude this Thanksgiving, we celebrate YOU—our village of champions. Your unwavering support has brou...
11/28/2024

As we gather in gratitude this Thanksgiving, we celebrate YOU—our village of champions. Your unwavering support has brought joy, growth, and connection to countless young lives this year. Together, we are creating a world where every young person has the opportunity to thrive. As we gather to give thanks, let us celebrate those who inspire resilience, the relationships that foster growth, and our communities that stand together in unity.
Thank you for being an integral part of our mission to make every child’s future BIG and bright." - Carlos Lejnieks, President & CEO 🧡

We invite you to celebrate a new BBBS tradition with us by tuning in today from 8:30 am ET to 12 pm tune in to NBC or stream live on Peacock to watch our matches from across the Big Brothers Big Sisters network proudly represent our partnership with Macy’s on the Central Park float—just before Santa! If watching live from NYC, tag us in your photos of the BBBS float.

Wishing you and your loved ones a holiday filled with joy, reflection, and hope. Happy Thanksgiving! 🍂🦃

This Thanksgiving season, we’re reflecting on the power of mentorship and community. We kicked off the season of givin...
11/27/2024

This Thanksgiving season, we’re reflecting on the power of mentorship and community.
We kicked off the season of giving with Gratitude Jars at our site-based programs at PS 5 and PS 17, thanks to our amazing corporate partners BNY Pershing, DTCC, and Fidelity! 💙

A Gratitude Jar is a simple yet powerful way to reflect on what we’re thankful for. Each student, mentor, and volunteer added notes of appreciation—whether for a person, a moment, or a special memory. These jars remind us to celebrate the positives in our lives, no matter how big or small. ✨ This makes for a great family and match activity!

In case you missed it, we are excited to share a short segment (link below) about Bowl for Kids' Sake by MC, Dan Bowens ...
11/22/2024

In case you missed it, we are excited to share a short segment (link below) about Bowl for Kids' Sake by MC, Dan Bowens of FOX 5, that aired on Good Day Wakeup. This year's event was a great success, hosting around 700 people and raising approximately $250,000.


On this Thankful Thursday we are grateful for all the people who have joined us on our mentoring mission!We are proud to...
11/22/2024

On this Thankful Thursday we are grateful for all the people who have joined us on our mentoring mission!
We are proud to announce that our local agency has been awarded the Growth Award for 2023 by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America - one of only a few nationwide. The Growth Award recognizes agencies that have demonstrated growth in the number of youth served, year over year. We have grown the number of youth served 15% since the pandemic.

Swipe to for words from our national and local CEOs on this recent achievement.

Honoring all who served. Happy Veterans Day!
11/11/2024

Honoring all who served.
Happy Veterans Day!

Fall fun! More of those when our Bigs & Littles embrace the season.
10/30/2024

Fall fun! More of those when our Bigs & Littles embrace the season.

Happy fall y’al! Love hearing about fun mentoring activities between our Bigs & Littles!
10/26/2024

Happy fall y’al!
Love hearing about fun mentoring activities between our Bigs & Littles!

Deeply honored to attend Victoria Foundation’s 100th anniversary weekend event: Newark Future Forum. A day full of subst...
10/12/2024

Deeply honored to attend Victoria Foundation’s 100th anniversary weekend event: Newark Future Forum. A day full of substantive and thought provoking presentations and conversations.

Bowl for Kids Sake in full effect! Over 700 people helped us raise $250k for our mentoring mission! Very grateful for th...
10/07/2024

Bowl for Kids Sake in full effect! Over 700 people helped us raise $250k for our mentoring mission! Very grateful for the BIG support from our extended BBBS family!
More photos to come…

Flashback Friday! Coverage from last year’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake by FOX 5 NY’s Dan Bowens.
10/04/2024

Flashback Friday!
Coverage from last year’s Bowl for Kids’ Sake by FOX 5 NY’s Dan Bowens.

Address

500 Broad Street
Newark, NJ
07102

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

(973) 642-2447

Website

http://www.BigsAndKids.org/

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Videos

BFKS ‘23
BFKS ‘23

We had TONS of fun lining dancing at our annua Bowl for Kids Sake event.

Bowl for Kids' Sake coverage on News 12 New Jersey! Check our our COO Michele Santostefano Williers being interviewed by our reporter Marci Rubin who served as our event's co-emcee. #BFKS2019 #BiggerTogether

"We could all be big brothers". From last week's My Brother's Keeper summit, President Barack Obama reflecting on his many mentors and emploring everyone to mentor our children. #MBKRising #MentoringMatters #BBBS #MentorIRL

10th Anniversary Gala! #CheersTo10Years!

10th Anniversary Gala! #CheersTo10Years!

Bigs & Littles & Taylor Swift!!!
Bigs & Littles & Taylor Swift!!!

BIG Shout out to @TicketsForKids for giving 50 of our mentoring relationships a chance to see a concert of a lifetime, Taylor Swift at MetLife Stadium! This was a night our Littles (and Bigs) will never forget. Thank you again for your generous in kind donation for this show and the many others you have donated to our organization in the past, we are truly grateful for this amazing partnership. Tickets for Kids Charities

Bowl for Kids' Sake in the house! Our 6th annual fundraiser! 1,000 people raising $170k! Josiah helping out with notes of gratitude. Still room for teams next week! RSVP. www.NJBigsBowl.org . #BFKS2017 #BowlForKidsSake

Great coverage from News12 tonight! Very proud of Big Brother Jesse and Little Brother Carlos who were featured at a press conference today for January National Mentoring Month with Mayor Chris Bollwage in Elizabeth. The Mayor also provided a formal commendation to our agency for our service to youth and families in the community. #MentoringMatters

Stop the presses! Such a great press conference in Elizabeth today celebrating January National Mentoring Month! Be sure to watch News12 tonight for the full story! Elizabeth Mayor Bollwage offered formal commendations to Big Brother Jesse from Union County and Little Brother Carlos from Elizabeth for being such an exemplary match of impact! Over four years ago, Jesse started mentoring Carlos. Overcoming a lot of adversity, this Little Brother has now graduated high school and will be serving our nation next month. After his time with the Army, Carlos committed to becoming a Big Brother to a child in Elizabeth, like was once done to him. #MentoringMatters

A great clip from our time with New Jersey Devils goalie, Cory Schneider. Q&A with our Bigs and Littles asking Cory to talk about Mentors that helped him get to his level of success. PS - love that he was sporting our #BBBS gym bag in the locker room! #MentoringMatters #Devils #NJ

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