Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio (BBBSCO) is one of the largest BBBS affiliates in the country and one of the charter agencies that founded Big Brothers of America in 1947. The agency was founded in 1933 and has more than 90 years of institutional history. Today, BBBSCO is one of the largest of approximately 240 Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates in the country. BBBSCO currently supports 1,315 active match relationships across the Central Ohio region with more than 1,000 active matches enrolled in the agency's programming. With approximately 400 Littles on the waitlist, the agency continues to recruit Bigs through campaigns like The Big Draft (aligned with the timing of the NFL Draft). Elizabeth Martinez serves as President and CEO. She recently celebrated her 23rd anniversary at BBBSCO and has been CEO for 7 years. Annual revenue is approximately $10.5 million. BBBSCO is headquartered at 1855 E Dublin-Granville Road in Columbus, Ohio. The agency operates four core programs and makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers and children ages 5 through young adulthood. The matching process is supported by over 3,300 generous investors and a professional staff that builds and supports each match through the strictest standards.
BBBSCO helps children realize their potential and build their futures. The agency nurtures children and strengthens communities through professional mentoring. The mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.
BBBSCO is the country's largest evidence-based mentoring organization category. The agency is committed to continuously evaluating and improving the quality of the services provided to youth. BBBSCO evaluates programming at the match level, agency level, and national level. The annual impact report provides an overview of the outcomes evaluation system, tools, and the most recent national data and trends. The matching process, from the initial screening to the final pairing and beyond, is made possible by the financial support of over 3,300 generous investors.
Abraham Maslow identified loving relationships and a sense of belonging as basic human needs, much like food, shelter, and safety, and that the realization of basic needs is needed for people to achieve their full potential. The relationships provided by BBBSCO are essential for young people to thrive.
BBBSCO was founded in 1933, making it one of the older BBBS affiliates in the country. In 1947, BBBSCO was one of the charter agencies that founded Big Brothers of America (the predecessor to the modern Big Brothers Big Sisters of America national network). The 1947 founding role gives BBBSCO a historic position in the national BBBS movement that few other affiliates can claim.
The 90+ year history reflects sustained institutional capacity, accumulated family relationships, deep corporate partnership infrastructure, and the kind of community recognition that comes only from many decades of service. Today BBBSCO is one of the largest agencies of approximately 240 BBBS affiliates in the country, with the active match count, the annual revenue, and the program portfolio that put the agency in the top tier of the national network.
Elizabeth Martinez serves as President and CEO of BBBSCO. Martinez has dedicated her life to ensuring kids have the supports needed to thrive. She recently celebrated her 23rd anniversary at Big Brothers Big Sisters and has held many positions on staff. She has been President and CEO for the past seven years.
Martinez's 23-year tenure at BBBSCO is unusually deep institutional knowledge. Having held many positions on staff before becoming CEO, she brings comprehensive understanding of every operational and programmatic function the agency performs. The 7-year CEO tenure provides sustained leadership continuity that supports the long-term match relationships and corporate partnership relationships that define BBBSCO's operations.
BBBSCO currently supports 1,315 active match relationships across the Central Ohio region. More than 1,000 active matches are enrolled in the agency's programming. Each match represents an ongoing professional case management relationship requiring sustained Match Support Specialist staffing.
The agency has approximately 400 Littles on the waitlist. The waitlist count reflects the persistent gap between Big supply and Little demand that characterizes BBBSA affiliates nationally. BBBSCO addresses the gap through ongoing mentor recruitment campaigns including The Big Draft (aligned with the NFL Draft timing). The Big Draft includes events in both Columbus and Springfield to capture volunteer recruitment from across the broader Central Ohio service area.
BBBSCO operates four core programs. The Community-based Mentoring program matches caring adults with children in need of friendship and guidance. Bigs and Littles meet outside structured program settings, planning their own activities across the Central Ohio area. The Community-based program is the agency's traditional flagship mentoring model.
The School-based Mentoring program brings the match to the Little's school setting. School-based matches meet at the Little's school or after-school program. The school-based model is popular with adults who prefer structured on-site mentoring during school hours and with employer-sponsored workplace volunteer programs that allow employees to mentor during the workday.
The Big Futures program supports older Littles transitioning to college and career. Recent Big Futures graduate Oley will be attending The Ohio State University to study medicine. Oley is described as a creative and talented young woman who is brimming with potential, who enjoys music, art, Taekwondo, and spending time with her family. The Big Futures graduate spotlights reflect the agency's commitment to long-term outcomes beyond the initial mentoring relationship.
The fourth core program includes specialty formats addressing specific subpopulations of youth or specific mentoring needs. The diversified four-program portfolio allows BBBSCO to meet families and youth where they are.
The Big Draft is BBBSCO's mentor recruitment campaign aligned with the timing of the NFL Draft. As the NFL drafts their next class of phenomenal athletes, BBBSCO drafts their next class of amazing volunteers. The 2024 campaign included two events on April 27, one in Columbus and one in Springfield, to introduce community members to mentoring.
The Big Draft framing captures the spring sports-fan attention cycle while making BBBSCO's mentor recruitment ask accessible to community members who might not otherwise consider becoming a Big. The dual Columbus and Springfield event geography reflects the agency's commitment to recruiting Bigs across the broader Central Ohio area, not just the Columbus urban core.
Professional staff from BBBSCO carefully build and support each match. The agency strives for matches that are not only safe and well-suited to each child's needs, but also harmonious and built to last. The entire matching process, from the initial screening to the final pairing and beyond, is made possible by the financial support of over 3,300 generous investors.
BBBSCO provides ongoing support and supervision to the Big, the Little, and the Little's family. Training and advice helps ensure that the match is working for everyone involved. This web of support helps maximize the likelihood that a Big Brothers Big Sisters relationship will thrive.
Match Support Specialist Ida Williams was honored as the 2022 Bob Grimm Brick Award recipient at the BBBS of America National Conference. The Bob Grimm Brick Award recognizes generational impact across BBBSA affiliates, and Williams's recognition reflects BBBSCO's deep Match Support Specialist infrastructure.
KEMBA Financial Credit Union is an area leader at making things count, and in this case, finding active ways to contribute toward the positive youth development of children, teens, and young adults in BBBSCO programming. KEMBA Financial represents the kind of community-rooted corporate partnership that supports BBBSCO operations.
The broader Columbus-area corporate ecosystem (including The Ohio State University, Nationwide Insurance, Cardinal Health, and many other major Central Ohio employers) provides BBBSCO with sustained corporate volunteer recruitment, workplace mentoring partnerships, and corporate foundation grants. The $10.5 million annual revenue reflects the substantial corporate and individual donor base supporting BBBSCO operations.
Little Brother Steven and his Big Brother Matt represent one of BBBSCO's featured match stories. Steven says: "I'm grateful to have someone to look up to who is always there for me." Steven may have moved around a few times, but one thing remained the same: his Big Brother Matt. Whether they're going bowling or playing video games, the consistent Matt-Steven relationship illustrates the long-term, supportive mentoring that BBBSCO's professional staff is committed to building.
Big Sister Vicki and Big Brother Jeff are matched as a Big Couple with Little Brother Anthony. Vicki has shared: "Anthony continues to make us laugh and enjoy our time together. He brings smiles and sunshine to our lives." The Big Couples program format allows two adults (often a married couple) to share a mentoring relationship with a single Little. The format works well for couples who want to mentor together rather than separately, and for Littles who benefit from exposure to multi-adult household dynamics.
To become a Big with BBBSCO, visit bbbscentralohio.org or bebignow.org. The screening process includes application, references, background check, interviews, and orientation. BBBSCO makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers and children ages 5 through young adulthood. Professional staff from BBBSCO carefully build and support each match, ensuring it meets the strictest standards.
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 workday flexibility. The Big Futures program serves older Littles in the post-high-school transition period. The Big Couples format allows two adults to share a mentoring relationship.
Families can enroll children ages 5 through young adulthood in BBBSCO programming. Visit bbbscentralohio.org to start the enrollment process. The enrollment process includes information about the child, the family situation, the child's interests and needs, and any specific mentoring goals. The program is free for families.
Many BBBSCO Littles are referred by Central Ohio schools, social workers, faith communities, or other professionals. Family self-referrals are also welcomed. The Match Support Specialist team identifies a Big whose background, interests, and availability best match the Little's profile. The current 400-on-waitlist count means new Little enrollments may face waiting periods before being matched.
Donations can be made at bbbscentralohio.org or via the dedicated Bowl Big platform (bowl-big.org) for the annual Bowl for Kids' Sake fundraising event. BBBSCO is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible. Whether you choose to give $2 or $2,000, every donation makes a difference.
Major corporate partnerships include KEMBA Financial Credit Union and other Columbus-area employers. Foundation grants and individual giving make up the broader fundraising mix. The over 3,300 generous investors who support the matching process represent the agency's core individual donor base. The $10.5 million annual revenue reflects the substantial donor and partnership investment in BBBSCO's mission.
BBBSCO 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. With 1,315 active match relationships, the case management staffing scale is substantial.
The $10.5 million annual revenue supports the match support infrastructure, the four-program portfolio, the recruitment campaigns including The Big Draft, the headquarters operations at 1855 E Dublin-Granville Road, and the broader corporate and community engagement work. The 90+ year operational history and the 1947 charter status give BBBSCO institutional credibility that supports ongoing fundraising.
For pure scale of youth-serving nonprofit infrastructure in Central Ohio, Boys and Girls Clubs of Columbus and the Columbus area reach more children annually through after-school programming, the YMCA of Central Ohio operates extensive community programming, and many other youth-serving nonprofits operate at scale. For one-to-one structured mentoring specifically, BBBSCO is the largest single agency in Central Ohio with 1,315 active match relationships.
BBBSCO's specific advantages: the 1933 founding and 90+ year institutional history, the 1947 charter agency role in founding Big Brothers of America, the 1,315 active match relationships and ranking among the largest of 240 BBBS affiliates nationally, the four-program portfolio, the Elizabeth Martinez 23-year institutional tenure with 7 years as CEO, The Big Draft mentor recruitment campaign, the Big Futures program for post-high-school transitions, the Big Couples format, the 2022 Bob Grimm Brick Award recognition for Match Support Specialist Ida Williams, and the $10.5 million annual revenue supporting substantial professional staffing.
Practical framing: for parents looking for a structured mentor for their child in Central Ohio, BBBSCO is the largest and most established one-to-one mentoring agency. For adults looking to mentor a young person in the Columbus area, BBBSCO offers four program options. For donors interested in Central Ohio youth mentoring, BBBSCO represents the largest channel.
Last updated May 2026. BBBSCO description (one of largest BBBS affiliates in country and charter agency that founded Big Brothers of America 1947, founded 1933, one of largest of approximately 240 BBBS affiliates, makes matches Bigs and Littles ages 5 through young adulthood through four core programs Community-based Mentoring plus School-based plus others), from the Live United Central Ohio BBBSCO profile. 1,315 active match relationships, more than 1,000 active matches enrolled, 400 Littles on waitlist, donations from $2 to $2,000 via bowl-big.org, from the BBBSCO LinkedIn posts. Elizabeth Martinez as President and CEO for past 7 years with 23rd anniversary at BBBSCO from the BBBSCO Our People and About pages. Headquarters 1855 E Dublin-Granville Rd Floor 1 Columbus OH 43229, phone (614) 839-2447, annual revenue approximately $10.5 million, from the ZoomInfo BBBSCO overview. The Big Draft mentor recruitment campaign aligned with NFL Draft with 2024 events on April 27 in both Columbus and Springfield, from the BBBSCO homepage. Big Futures program with recent graduate Oley attending The Ohio State University to study medicine (creative talented young woman enjoys music, art, Taekwondo, and family), Match Support Specialist Ida Williams as 2022 Bob Grimm Brick Award recipient at the 2022 BiggerTogether National Conference, KEMBA Financial Credit Union as community-rooted corporate partner, Big Couples format example Jeff and Vicki matched with Anthony, Matt and Steven match story, from the BBBSCO homepage. Matching process from initial screening to final pairing supported by over 3,300 generous investors with professional staff strictest standards plus Abraham Maslow loving relationships and sense of belonging basic human needs reference, from the CityPulse Columbus BBBSCO profile. We are not affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio and receive no compensation for this listing. Errors: [email protected]
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