Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa (BBBSIA) is a nonprofit organization based in Des Moines, Iowa, dedicated to empowering youth through one-to-one mentoring relationships. Established in 1968, BBBSIA makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers and children ages 5 through 16 across Polk, Dallas, and Warren counties. Bridget Cravens-Neely serves as CEO since June 2022. BBBSIA opened a new Youth Mentoring Center in November 2024 at 2130 Grand Avenue in Des Moines in a 10,500-square-foot renovated building that roughly doubles the agency's previous space. Over 300 youth are currently on the waitlist; about 67 percent are young boys ages 5-15. The average length of a Big and Little match in Central Iowa is around three years. Over 20,000 youth have been impacted by the organization since 1968. The I Am Enough Mentoring Program (in its third year) empowers girls to believe in themselves. The 60 Bigs in 60 Days Big Draft campaign recruits mentors. The organization's tagline: "It Takes Little to Be Big."
BBBSIA connects adult mentors with at-risk youth to build strong relationships that positively impact lives. The mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. The vision is that all youth achieve their full potential. By partnering with parents and guardians, volunteers, and others in the community, BBBSIA holds itself accountable for each child in its program achieving higher aspirations, greater confidence, better relationships, avoidance of risky behaviors, and educational success.
A quality mentor can make a difference in a mentee's life using encouragement and constructive feedback to help youth grow and develop to reach their full potential. Mentors fill various roles: a confidant, a life coach, a resource that helps youth pursue future career goals. Since 1968, over 20,000 youth have been impacted by the organization in Central Iowa.
BBBSIA announced the opening of its new Youth Mentoring Center at 2130 Grand Avenue in Des Moines in November 2024, hosting an open house on November 20 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. The nonprofit purchased the 10,500-square-foot building in late 2023, with renovations completed in September 2024. The center roughly doubles the amount of space of the previous location.
CEO Cravens-Neely described the impact: "Our new Youth Mentoring Center makes us more accessible and provides a safe and fun gathering place for our matches while also offering community space for outside organizations to use. This center also accommodates our growing team and programs. We have more space to interview families, Littles, and Bigs and form new mentoring matches." The center's location is also closer to several school districts, making access easier. As Greater Des Moines communities grow, the needs for mentoring youth continue to grow; BBBSIA is positioned to serve those needs from its expanded home base.
Bridget Cravens-Neely serves as CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa since June 2022. She brings a career spanning over 30 years in the insurance industry, giving her a distinctive business leadership background among BBBS affiliate CEOs. Under her leadership, the organization has opened the new Youth Mentoring Center and expanded its programming.
Cravens-Neely has been a vocal advocate for male mentor recruitment, noting that about 67 percent of the BBBSIA waitlist consists of young boys ages 5-15: "We need, we again, we need male mentors. We need responsible, caring, dependable men who are not afraid to step in and help and guide a young male who might be similar to them." She has described BBBSIA's matching process as analytical and scientific: "We have a very thorough process in matching. It's not just if you're a body matching you with another body. It truly is a very thorough, analytical and scientific process that we follow to make sure that our matches sustain the test of time."
BBBSIA serves the three-county Central Iowa service area. Polk County contains the City of Des Moines (Iowa's largest city and state capital) and is the most populous county in Iowa. Dallas County is the fastest-growing county in Iowa, experiencing rapid suburban and exurban development west of Des Moines. Warren County is south of Polk and contains Indianola and surrounding communities. The three-county service area covers the core of the Greater Des Moines metropolitan area.
BBBSIA reports strong program outcomes. The organization reports that 93 percent of participating youth have maintained or improved avoidance of risky behaviors, and 82 percent have maintained or improved their grades. The average length of a Big and Little match in Central Iowa is around three years, reflecting sustained long-term relationships rather than short-term mentoring encounters. Currently about 650 youth are actively served while over 300 are on the waitlist awaiting a match.
I Am Enough is a BBBSIA mentoring program now in its third year that empowers girls to believe in themselves and know that they are enough. Match Support Specialist Emma Kolpek coordinates the program. The program operates through BBBSIA's broader mentoring framework, pairing girl Littles with Bigs who support their confidence and self-worth development. For Women's History Month, BBBSIA spotlighted the I Am Enough program as a tool for empowering the girls in the mentoring program to see themselves as capable and worthy.
While the NFL drafts the next generation of players, BBBSIA drafts the next generation of mentors through the 60 Bigs in 60 Days Big Draft campaign. The Big Draft frames volunteer mentor recruitment using sports draft language and competitive goals to make the ask memorable. Updates on Big Draft progress are shared publicly to build momentum. Given the 300+ waitlist, with 67% young boys, the Big Draft's specific emphasis on recruiting men is strategically important.
To become a Big, visit bbbsia.org or call (515) 288-9025. BBBSIA serves youth ages 5-16 in Polk, Dallas, and Warren counties. The matching process considers gender, age, ethnicity, interests, background, and occupation. The minimum commitment is one year. BBBSIA particularly needs male mentors; about 67% of the 300+ waitlist are young boys ages 5-15.
Donations can be made at bbbsia.org. BBBSIA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Board members include Ida H. Wood (President, Paylocity), David Siebert (NCMIC Insurance Company President-Elect), Jeff Matney (Holmes Murphy Senior VP/Shareholder). Foundation grants and corporate partnerships make up the broader funding mix.
For pure scale of youth-serving nonprofit infrastructure in the Des Moines area, Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Iowa and the YMCA of Greater Des Moines reach more children. For one-to-one structured mentoring, BBBSIA is the largest single agency in Central Iowa. The new 10,500-sq-ft Youth Mentoring Center, the I Am Enough girls program, the 20,000+ historical youth impact since 1968, and Cravens-Neely's business leadership background are BBBSIA's specific advantages.
Last updated May 2026. BBBSIA founded 1968 in Des Moines, makes meaningful monitored matches between adult volunteers and children ages 5 through 16 across Polk Dallas and Warren counties, Bridget Cravens-Neely as CEO since June 2022 with 30+ years insurance industry background, from the BBBSIA About Us page (bbbsia.org/about-us). New Youth Mentoring Center at 2130 Grand Ave Des Moines, 10,500-square-foot building purchased late 2023 with renovations completed September 2024, open house November 20 2024 4:30-6:30pm with ribbon-cutting at 4pm, roughly doubling previous space, closer to school districts, community conference rooms, Cravens-Neely quotes about accessibility and gathering place and more space to interview, from the Business Record November 7 2024 and April 2025 articles and Yahoo News November 20 2024 article. Over 300 youth on waitlist with 67 percent young boys primarily ages 5-15, approximately 650 kids served, matching process meticulous considering gender age ethnicity interests background and occupation, minimum one year commitment because that is how long it takes to build trust and create bond and connection, 93 percent of participating youth maintained or improved risky behavior avoidance, 82 percent maintained or improved grades, average Big and Little match length around three years, 20,000+ youth impacted historically in Central Iowa, from the AOL/Nexstar Media local TV article. I Am Enough Mentoring Program in third year empowering girls to believe in themselves with Match Support Specialist Emma Kolpek coordinating, 60 Bigs in 60 Days Big Draft campaign, JoinOurVillageDSM and ItTakesLittleToBeBig taglines, Pinny the bowling pin mascot TV debut on Local 5 News Iowa Live, from the BBBSIA LinkedIn page. Board members Ida H. Wood (President Paylocity), David Siebert (NCMIC Insurance Company President-Elect), Jeff Matney (Holmes Murphy Senior VP Shareholder), Kiley Skadburg (Iowa Clinic Chief Marketing Officer Secretary), Ashlee Vieregger (Foster Group Senior Lead Advisor Treasurer), from the BBBSIA About Us page. HQ address 2130 Grand Avenue Des Moines IA 50312, phone (515) 288-9025, email [email protected] from the BBBSIA Facebook page. We are not affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa and receive no compensation for this listing. Errors: [email protected]
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