Honoring Current Mentors While Calling on the Community to Step Up for Youth
Phoenix, AZ- January 2026– In honor of National Mentoring Month this January, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona (BBBSAZ) is proud to celebrate the dedicated volunteer mentors who are changing lives every day, while also calling on the community to help meet the growing need for mentors across the Valley.
Mentorship has the power to unlock potential, build confidence, and change the trajectory of a young person’s life. Today, hundreds of children in Central Arizona are waiting for a mentor- someone willing to show up consistently, listen, and believe in them.
“At BBBSAZ, we see every day what’s possible when a caring adult steps into a young person’s life,” said Debbie Castillo-Smith, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona. “This National Mentoring Month, we want to say thank you to our incredible Bigs who give their time, heart, and commitment to their Littles. Their impact is profound. We also invite others in our community to join them because there are still so many young people waiting for that same life-changing connection.”
BBBSAZ’s mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. The organization is committed to reducing waitlists and ensuring that every child who wants a mentor has access to one – without delay.
Join the Movement This National Mentoring Month
BBBSAZ encourages individuals, businesses, and community groups to get involved in meaningful ways, including:
Become a Big Brother or Big Sister and help shape a young person’s future
Make a financial contribution to support mentoring programs and services
Share the power of mentorship on social media using #NationalMentoringMonth and #BiggerTogether
Throughout January, BBBSAZ will also host The Big Event, a special celebration recognizing mentors and the impact of active matches. The event will feature inspiring stories from Bigs and Littles and serve as a heartfelt thank-you to the volunteers who make mentorship possible.
For more information about becoming a mentor or supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona, visit www.bbbsaz.org/volunteer.
ABOUT BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL ARIZONA
For more than 70 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As part of the nation’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network, BBBSAZ creates and supports meaningful, professionally monitored one-to-one mentoring relationships between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18. These relationships have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of young people and the communities they call home.
For more information, call 602-264-BIGS or visit www.bbbsaz.org.