Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee (BBBSMM) is the leading one-to-one mentoring agency serving Milwaukee and Waukesha counties in southeastern Wisconsin. For 47 years (founded around 1976), BBBSMM has created and supported mentoring relationships, with more than 50,000 young people having their lives changed through the program during the history of the organization. Nearly 90 percent of the youth served come from low-income households, 65 percent have been raised by a single parent, and 85 percent are people of color. Neil Willenson serves as President and CEO, appointed in May 2023 to succeed Amy Chionchio who retired after more than 15 years of service. Willenson is nationally known as the founder of Camp Heartland (now One Heartland) for children affected by HIV/AIDS and as a corporate philanthropy executive who led grantmaking to nearly 1,000 nonprofit organizations since 2010. BBBSMM officially moved into its new office space at 770 N. Jefferson Street in downtown Milwaukee in June 2025, occupying nearly 8,000 square feet on the second floor of the building. The MentorZone Youth Activity and Mentorship Center, which opened in summer 2024, is adjacent to the new office. In 2023, the agency reported 474 Big and Little Sister matches served alongside the full match portfolio across community-based, school-based, and mentor2.0 programs.
BBBSMM delivers positive outcomes for youth facing adversity in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. Every day, the agency sees youth grow and strengthen relationships with mentors that change the trajectory of their lives. The mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
BBBSMM has done this by creating meaningful, purposeful relationships between adult volunteers and children in the metro Milwaukee area for 47 years. Nearly 90 percent of the youth served come from low-income households, 65 percent have been raised by a single parent, and 85 percent are people of color. It has never been more vital to break the cycle of poverty and provide equal access to opportunities, which is the work BBBSMM does through structured mentoring.
Neil Willenson was appointed President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee on May 30, 2023. Willenson succeeded Amy Chionchio, who retired after more than 15 years of service to the organization. Terry Nadeau, then Chairman of the BBBSMM Board of Directors, welcomed Willenson with this statement: "We welcome Neil Willenson who has the experience and passion to continue our journey in helping Milwaukee's youth achieve their full potential."
Willenson is a nationally known nonprofit founder, corporate executive, public speaker, and creative leader. Previously, Willenson was the Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Impact for Kacmarcik Enterprises and Kapco, Inc., where he led grantmaking to nearly 1,000 nonprofit organizations since 2010 and coordinated large-scale fundraising events. Willenson is also the founder of Camp Heartland (now One Heartland) for children affected by HIV/AIDS, co-founder of Camp Hometown Heroes and Camp Reunite, former producer of the Grand Slam Charity Jam, and organizer of Kids2Kids Christmas. His broad nonprofit founding and corporate philanthropy experience positions BBBSMM to expand corporate partnerships and grow service scale.
BBBSMM officially moved into its new office space at 770 N. Jefferson Street in downtown Milwaukee in June 2025. The organization now occupies nearly 8,000 square feet of space on the second floor of the building, which is adjacent to its former office at 788 N. Jefferson Street. The new headquarters represents a strategic investment in BBBSMM's operational infrastructure aligned with the agency's goal to double the number of youth it serves.
The MentorZone Youth Activity and Mentorship Center opened in summer 2024 and is adjacent to the new office. MentorZone serves as a hub where BBBSMM matches, families, and youth on the waiting list can convene. The proximity between MentorZone and the new office space integrates the nonprofit's mission, operations, programming, and strategy all under one roof. Willenson has described the integration: "This proximity means quicker collaboration, more flexibility and a shared sense of purpose. It sends a powerful message to every youth we serve, matched or waiting: You matter, and we are here for you. We are in your corner."
BBBSMM operates three core mentoring programs. The community-based program matches adult volunteers (Bigs) with children (Littles) for one-to-one outings and activities outside structured program settings. Bigs and Littles plan their own time together exploring shared interests across the Milwaukee and Waukesha area.
The school-based program matches employee Bigs with student Littles for on-site mentoring at school. The school-based model is popular with corporate partners whose employees can mentor during work hours, removing the time and travel barriers that prevent some adults from committing to community-based mentoring.
The mentor2.0 program is a technology-enhanced high school mentoring program. The 2025 mentor2.0 Match of the Year was Gabbi and Guadalupe, recognized at The Big Gala. The mentor2.0 model uses structured curriculum, weekly communication, and quarterly in-person events to support Littles through high school.
The Big Gala is BBBSMM's annual signature fundraising event. The 2025 Gala Co-Chairs were Matt and Carolyn Meuleners and Duane and Colleen Maier. The Gala honors the Matches of the Year and the Martin F. Stein Champion of Children Award recipient. The 2024 Martin F. Stein Champion of Children Award recipient was Terry Nadeau, former Board Chair of BBBSMM. Johnson Controls Chairman and CEO George Oliver and Willenson celebrated with Nadeau at the award announcement.
The Big Gala provides BBBSMM with one of its largest single fundraising events of the year. Corporate sponsors include Hupy and Abraham s.c., Plastocon Inc., Seeds of Health Inc., and many other Milwaukee-area employers. The Gala also serves as a community-building event for BBBSMM's broader supporter network.
The 2025 BBBSMM Matches of the Year recognized exceptional mentoring relationships across the three program types. The Community-based Match of the Year was Betsy and Aaliyah. The School-based Match of the Year was Josh and Nathan. The mentor2.0 Match of the Year was Gabbi and Guadalupe.
The Matches of the Year recognition celebrates the long-term, consistent relationships between Bigs and Littles that drive positive outcomes. Each match represents months or years of regular meetings, shared activities, and the development of trust that defines effective mentoring. The Matches of the Year are recognized publicly at The Big Gala and in BBBSMM communications throughout the year.
BBBSMM partners with Marquette University Men's Basketball through Be The Difference NIL for support of the mentorship program. The Marquette partnership reflects the agency's engagement with Milwaukee's higher education sector and provides additional volunteer recruitment pipeline among Marquette students plus high-visibility community awareness through Marquette athletics. When the Marquette Men's Basketball team made the Sweet 16, BBBSMM publicly celebrated with the players and Be The Difference NIL.
BBBSMM has 185 Little Sisters waiting for a mentor as of recent reporting. The agency served 474 Big and Little Sister matches in 2023. The 185-on-waitlist count for Little Sisters specifically reflects the broader BBBSA-wide gender match dynamics where female volunteer Bigs are in particular demand because many Littles come from single-parent female households.
450 Littles in the BBBSMM program come from single-parent female households. Many of these Littles benefit from female mentors who can model adult female roles and relationships. The recruitment of female Bigs is a sustained BBBSMM focus aligned with the broader Wisconsin recruitment effort across the southeastern Wisconsin philanthropic and corporate volunteer ecosystem.
To become a Big with BBBSMM, visit bbbsmilwaukee.org and complete the volunteer interest form. The screening process includes application, references, background check, interviews, and orientation. BBBSMM matches Bigs and Littles based on shared interests, complementary personalities, and geographic proximity within the Milwaukee and Waukesha county service area.
The community-based program offers maximum flexibility for adults with varying schedules. The school-based program is well-suited for working professionals whose employers offer flexibility for school-day mentoring. The mentor2.0 program serves high school youth with technology-enhanced structured curriculum support. The three options allow BBBSMM to match volunteer Bigs with the program format that fits their availability and goals.
Donations can be made at bbbsmilwaukee.org or by mail to BBBSMM's headquarters at 770 N. Jefferson Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202. BBBSMM is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible.
The Big Gala is the largest single annual fundraising event. Bowl for BBBS provides another year-round fundraising channel (with participants choosing their own dates). Corporate partnerships, including Johnson Controls representation through Terry Nadeau on the board, provide sustained corporate philanthropy revenue. Foundation grants and individual giving make up the remainder of the fundraising mix.
BBBSMM files its own Form 990 separately from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. Match Support Specialist staffing represents a significant share of operating costs because each Big and Little match requires ongoing professional case management. The June 2025 move to the 770 N. Jefferson Street headquarters and the summer 2024 MentorZone opening represent significant capital and operational investments designed to support the agency's growth trajectory.
Barbara (Chief Financial Officer, joined August 2023) maintains BBBSMM's financial operations with decades of nonprofit auditing and finance experience. Kelly (Chief Program Officer) leads the program management team. Brian Schupper (joined September 2023, formerly Executive Director at Sculpture Milwaukee and Policy Director at the Greater Milwaukee Committee) supports development and community engagement. The professional leadership team provides BBBSMM with the executive infrastructure to operate at scale.
For pure scale of youth-serving nonprofit infrastructure in Milwaukee, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee reaches more children annually through after-school programming, and the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee operates extensive community programming. For one-to-one structured mentoring specifically, BBBSMM is the largest single agency in the Milwaukee and Waukesha county region with the 50,000+ youth historical impact and the ongoing match portfolio of community-based, school-based, and mentor2.0 programs.
BBBSMM's specific advantages: the 47-year institutional history with 50,000+ historical youth impact, the new 770 N. Jefferson Street headquarters with adjacent MentorZone programming center, the three-program portfolio (community-based, school-based, mentor2.0), the deep corporate partnership infrastructure including Johnson Controls board representation, the Marquette University Men's Basketball Be The Difference NIL partnership, and Neil Willenson's nonprofit founder and corporate philanthropy experience.
Practical framing: for parents looking for a structured mentor for their child in Milwaukee or Waukesha County, BBBSMM is the largest and most established one-to-one mentoring agency. For adults looking to mentor a young person in the Milwaukee metro, BBBSMM offers three program options. For donors interested in Milwaukee youth mentoring, BBBSMM represents the largest channel.
Last updated May 2026. BBBSMM 47-year history with 50,000+ youth historically served, demographics of 90 percent low-income, 65 percent single-parent, and 85 percent people of color, mission to ignite power and promise of youth in Milwaukee and Waukesha counties, from the Urban Milwaukee May 30 2023 Neil Willenson appointment announcement. Neil Willenson appointed President and CEO May 30 2023 succeeding Amy Chionchio retiring after 15+ years, with prior role as VP Philanthropy and Community Impact at Kacmarcik Enterprises and Kapco Inc (led grantmaking to 1,000 nonprofits since 2010), founder of Camp Heartland (now One Heartland) for children with HIV/AIDS, co-founder of Camp Hometown Heroes and Camp Reunite, former Grand Slam Charity Jam producer, Kids2Kids Christmas organizer, from the same Urban Milwaukee announcement and TMJ4 Morning Blend July 2023 interview. New 770 N. Jefferson Street headquarters with 8,000 sq ft on second floor adjacent to former 788 N. Jefferson office, MentorZone Youth Activity and Mentorship Center opened summer 2024, June 2025 office move with Willenson quotes about integration of mission operations programming and strategy under one roof, from the BizTimes July 2025 office move article. 474 Big and Little Sister matches served in 2023, 185 Little Sisters waiting for mentor, 450 Littles from single-parent female households, from the BBBSMM LinkedIn International Women's Day post. 2024 Martin F. Stein Champion of Children Award recipient Terry Nadeau (former Board Chair from Johnson Controls) presented at The Big Gala November 2024 with Johnson Controls Chairman and CEO George Oliver and Neil Willenson, plus Marquette University Men's Basketball Tyler Kolek Sweet 16 Be The Difference NIL partnership reference, from the BBBSMM LinkedIn page. 2025 Big Gala Co-Chairs Matt and Carolyn Meuleners and Duane and Colleen Maier, 2025 Matches of the Year (Community-based Betsy and Aaliyah, School-based Josh and Nathan, mentor2.0 Gabbi and Guadalupe), Hupy and Abraham s.c. plus Plastocon Inc plus Seeds of Health Inc corporate sponsors, from the BBBSMM Gala page (bbbsmilwaukee.org/gala/). Executive team Barbara joined August 2023 as CFO (CPA with decades nonprofit experience), Kelly as Chief Program Officer with 20 years nonprofit experience and former Big Sister, Brian Schupper joined September 2023 from Sculpture Milwaukee Executive Director and Greater Milwaukee Committee Policy Director, from the BBBSMM Leadership Staff Execs page. Phone (414) 258-4778 from the ZoomInfo BBBSMM overview. We are not affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee and receive no compensation for this listing. Errors: [email protected]
More Wisconsin and donation resources