Miramichi Big Brothers Big Sisters

Founded in 1979, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Miramichi is an incorporated nonprofit and registered charitable organization.

Our mission is to enrich the lives of children through mentoring. 

Big Brothers Big Sisters adds Boys & Girls Club

Big Brothers Big Sisters initially existed as a single service, standalone agency.  By 1995, a growing wait list, fundraising challenges and sustainability concerns caused the organization to look at more effective ways of operating.  Upon successfully piloting some group programs for wait list children, the agency realized an opportunity might exist in filling this unmet community need.  Seeking guidance for their next steps, they created a task force and held focus groups consisting of program participants, potential supporters, schools, partners and community leaders. This process confirmed the need for and feasibility of group programming.  Boys & Girls Club of Canada granted full affiliation to Miramichi Boys & Girls Club in 1996.

The agency decided to retain all Big Brothers Big Sisters programming and add a menu of after school and weekend Boys and Girls Club programs.    One board was formed to govern both programs.  It included veteran Big Brothers Big Sisters board members to retain a sense of tradition, plus new members to bring the fresh vision to life.  Part of the fresh vision was to obtain a building. By increasing the volume and intensity of existing fundraising efforts, the agency’s growth and expansion goals became reality.  In July 1997 the Big Brothers Big Sisters and Boys and Girls Club programs triumphantly opened their new facility, the “Youth Village”.

The programs have continued to be managed not only under a common roof but also under one charitable number, one corporate registration, one board and one administration.  There are two National organization affiliations and three registered names to maximize the Big Brothers Big Sisters, Boys & Girls Club, and Youth Village brands.