Mother’s Day gives us a perfect chance to spotlight organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast (BBBS) and the vital role they play in supporting families and children.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast stands out as the leading mentoring group in Southwest Florida, working with kids ages 6 to 18. They’re not just matching mentors and mentees; they’re building relationships that help young people to reach their potential.
Their programs cover both community-based mentoring, where matches spend time together outside of school, and site-based mentoring, happening right in the classroom. They’ve also added specialized programs like Reading Buddies, Bigs with Badges, and Big Futures. These initiatives focus on literacy, connecting youth with law enforcement, and guiding teens toward college, careers, or service.
Every year, over 1,600 kids get paired with mentors. The results speak for themselves: every graduating senior continues their education, joins the military, or heads straight into the workforce. That’s a 100% success rate. Their work has earned them recognition as a National Agency of the Year by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
It’s About Transforming Lives Across Our Community
When you talk with Kahdeja Burroughs and Melissa Nelson from Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast, it’s clear this organization isn’t just about pairing adults with children. It’s about building genuine relationships, ones that can quietly transform lives across our community.
For Kahdeja, the best moments in her role as mentor manager usually sneak up quietly: maybe a child’s nerves melt away as they meet their mentor, or a volunteer’s awkward smile shifts to laughter once they realize they belong.
Kahdeja’s busy days include community outreach where she recruits, interviews, conducts background checks, and strives to make ideal matches. “It covers everything,” she says, and there’s an easy humor in her voice. “I look at personalities, strengths, creative or academic abilities, life stories. I try to match kids with the right person, but I also look for a real willingness from the child. You can’t make them want a mentor. If a parent wants it for the child, but the kid doesn’t, I have to say, ‘I can’t force it.’ These relationships have to be real.”
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast runs both site-based and community-based programs, either meeting at school weekly or going out for activities. Kahdeja adapts her approach, but always keeps the child’s comfort at the center. “It’s up to the child to build that relationship. If they’re not interested, I can’t push it,” she says. “But honestly, nine times out of ten, our team prepares families so well that most kids are open and ready.” When things click, Kahdeja sees change ripple out, not just for the kids, but for families and volunteers, too. “It’s a beautiful thing,” she says, and you can feel her pride.
The real magic, both Kahdeja and regional program director Melissa Nelson agree, is in those unpredictable little milestones. Sometimes, a volunteer calls months into a match, almost in disbelief, to share that their mentee just said, “I love you” for the first time. Or it shows up in a quiet boost to a child’s confidence, a happier report card, or a burst of excited storytelling. Kahdeja checks in every month, sometimes at school, sometimes with a phone call home, making sure the right support is always in place, and nothing falls through the cracks.
For Melissa, the art of matching, getting the right mentor with the right kid, is the heart of the work. “When it works, you just know,” she says. “You see them walk out together laughing, and you can tell they’ll do well.” She gets to watch both mentors and kids thrive, knowing the support doesn’t fade after the first meeting. “It takes patience. We have a waiting list because we don’t just fill spots. We want these relationships to last,” she says. The current waitlist stands at 175 kids in Charlotte County, mostly boys, which means they urgently need male mentors and women comfortable working with boys.
After 14 years, Melissa finds joy and passion in training mentor managers like Kahdeja and watching the lasting impact of strong matches. “That’s what keeps us all motivated,” she says. “We share stories with each other to remind ourselves why we’re here.” For Kahdeja, those stories are enough: hearing a shy kid open up, or learning about why someone wants to volunteer, or witnessing even tiny steps of growth. “I love hearing their stories and figuring out what makes them tick. Watching a connection build; it never gets old.”
At Big Brothers Big Sisters Sun Coast, the proof is in the little things: trust earned, laughter shared, the kind of change that happens slowly but sticks for life.
BBBS is always looking for more mentors, especially men. If you have an hour a week and a willingness to show up, you could be the person who helps a child see new possibilities. For details about volunteering or enrolling a child, visit Big Brothers Big Sisters Sun Coast’s website at bbbssun.org or call 941-473-4003. Sometimes, all a kid needs is someone in their corner to remind them it’s still okay to just be a kid.
At its core, this organization empowers youth facing tough circumstances, with many coming from single-parent families. Through mentorship, they give young people the tools and encouragement to thrive. On Mother’s Day, it feels right to honor them, and all the people helping to guide, support, and believe in the next generation.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Sun Coast
Family Services Center,
21500 Gibraltar Dr,
Port Charlotte, FL 33952
Port Charlotte: (941) 764-5812
Englewood: (941) 473-4003
