100 Years of History
For over a century, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been helping change kids’ perspectives and giving them the opportunity to reach their potential. And we have over a century of volunteers, donors, and advocates just like you to thank.
It all started in 1904, when a young New York City court clerk named Ernest Coulter was seeing more and more boys come through his courtroom. He recognized that caring adults could help many of these kids stay out of trouble, and he set out to find volunteers. That marked the beginning of the Big Brothers movement.
At around the same time, the members of a group called Ladies of Charity were befriending girls who had come through the New York Children’s Court. That group would later become Catholic Big Sisters.
Both groups continued to work independently until 1977, when Big Brothers Association and Big Sisters International joined forces and became Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
More than 100 years later, Big Brothers Big Sisters remains true to our founders’ vision of bringing caring role models into the lives of children. And, today, Big Brothers Big Sisters currently operates in all 50 states—and in 12 countries around the world.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley began by first serving the immediate Quad Cities as a Big Brothers Big Sisters of America affiliate in 1988. Established first as Hand in Hand in 1987, the organization's intent from the beginning was to establish a mentoring program to support vulnerable children in our community. The organization was founded by partner organizations in the community including Catholic Charities, Valley Shelter, Department of Health and Human Services and area school councilors. Hand in Hand recieved a three-year start up grant from the Davenport Kiwanis and Frank Folwell, a well known business leader and philanthropist.
In 2002, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Quad Cities partnered with a small group of community leaders in Henry County to begin coordinating mentoring programs in Kewanee, Cambridge, Geneseo, and Galva. The following year (2003), McDonough County leaders established the basis for a BBBS mentoring program in Macomb. In 2006, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Quad Cities incorporated Whiteside, Lee and Ogle counties as part of a regional merger directed by the national organization. To properly reflect the regional area the organization serves, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Quad Cities changed its corporate name to Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley. Today, BBBSMV serves a 14 county territory impacting over 1,100 children annually through five mentoring delivery systems.
Here is a look at our history, from the start:
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Event |
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1902
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Ernest Coulter, court clerk, helps organize the first New York Children's Court; Ladies of Charity, later Catholic Big Sisters of New York, starts to befriend girls who come before the New York Children's Court.
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1903
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Businessman Irvin F. Westheimer befriends a young boy in Cincinnati, OH; seeds are formed for the start of Big Brothers in Cincinnati.
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1904
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Ernest Coulter founds the organized Big Brothers movement by obtaining 39 volunteers, who each agree to befriend one boy.
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1912
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The New York Times reports Big Brothers activity in 26 cities.
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1914
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Ernest Coulter embarks on nationwide lecture tour on behalf of Big Brothers; planning begins for a national Big Brothers and Big Sisters organization.
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1917
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The first national conference of Big Brothers and Big Sisters organizations is held in Grand Rapids, MI.
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1923
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Theodore Roosevelt, Jr., becomes treasurer of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation;
First motion picture based on a Big and Little Brother relationship is released by Paramount Pictures.
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1925
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President Calvin Coolidge becomes patron of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation.
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1930
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Six hundred delegates attend a Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation meeting in New York City.
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1934
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President and Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt become patrons of Big Brothers and Big Sisters Federation.
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1948
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Norman Rockwell produces the sketch that becomes a symbol for the Big Brothers Association.
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1951
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The Big Brothers of the Year program begins, Associate Justice Tom Clark of the U.S. Supreme Court and J. Edgar Hoover are named.
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1958
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Big Brothers Association is chartered by Congress.
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1970
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Big Sisters International is incorporated.
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1977
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Big Sisters International and Big Brothers Association merge, forming Big Brothers Big Sisters of America with 357 agencies.
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1984
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of America occupies its headquarters at 230 North 13th Street in Philadelphia
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1987
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Quad Cities is founded as "Heart to Heart" by a group of social service professionals led by Catholic Social Services of Scott County, to meet a need for mentors for children being brought to the Quad Cities through an international refugee program.
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1985
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of America is honored with a commemorative stamp by the Postmaster General.
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1989
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Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Quad Cities is aligned with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
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1995
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Public/Private Ventures Study on Big Brothers Big Sisters Community-Based Mentoring shows measurable, positive results on youth who have a Big Brother or Sister, seminal research in the field of youth mentoring.
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1997
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President William J. Clinton holds Volunteer Summit in Philadelphia; Big Brothers Big Sisters plays key role.
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1998
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Big Brothers Big Sisters International is founded.
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2003
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President George W. Bush announces three-year $450 million mentoring initiative in his State of the Union Address.
Mentoring operations begin in Henry and McDoungh counties.
BBBSQC Launches School-based mentoring model in Davenport and Bettendorf Schools
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2004
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Big Brothers Big Sisters celebrates 100 years of serving America’s youth.
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2006
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First Lady Laura Bush stars in a public service announcement to recruit volunteers across the nation.
BBBSQC incorporated Whiteside, Lee and Ogle Counties
BBBSQC recieves US Department of Education grant to expand school-based mentoring.
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2007
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Public/Private Ventures conducts a study on Big Brothers Big Sisters School-Based Mentoring program, reinforcing the value of strong, long-lasting relationships and leading to program enhancements.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Quad Cities eincorporates as Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley
In a Super Bowl first, CBS, the NFL and Big Brothers Big Sisters joined forces to create a public service announcement that features the two coaches whose teams are competing in the game. Roughly 90 million viewers tuned in to watch the game and see Indianapolis Colts' Coach Tony Dungy and Coach Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears underscore the importance of mentoring by referencing their real-life mentoring relationship.
BBBSMV launches Campus-based mentoring program at St. Ambrose University and Augustana College (Western Illinois Univerisity and Monmouth College are later added)
BBBSMV receives Corporation for National and Community Service grant to establish AmeriCorps mentoring initiative.
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2010
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President Obama holds a White House National Mentoring Month Ceremony; Big Brothers Big Sisters attends and plays a key role.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley partners with United Way of the Quad Cities, Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, area school districts, Deere & Company, Alcoa, Quad Cities Chamber, Junior Achievement, and the Putman Museum and IMax Theater to establish Achieve Quad Cities.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley launches Career Navigator mentoring program at JB Young Intermediate School (Davenport) and Washington Junior High (Rock Island). Williams Intermediate (Davenport) and John Deere Middle (Moline) were added in 2011.
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