Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware (BBBSDE) has been serving Delaware children and youth since 1964, making it one of the longer-established state-level BBBS affiliates in the Mid-Atlantic region. 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. BBBSDE is headquartered at the Baynard Building, 3411 Silverside Rd, Suite 240 in Wilmington, Delaware 19810, phone (302) 998-3577. Programs include community-based mentoring, school-based mentoring, and the Beyond School Walls program providing career and college preparation workshops, SAT prep, and college tours for high school youth. The Sallie Mae Fund provided a $100,000 grant in October 2019 to support school-based mentoring initiatives. The 2018-2019 school year outcomes were strong: 85 percent of mentored students showed improved attitude toward school, 71 percent experienced overall academic improvements, and 77 percent expressed a more positive sense of their future. Cheryl Mitchell was honored as Delaware Big Sister of the Year with Little Sister Niz'a. Currently there are Littles throughout Delaware waiting for mentors, some for years.
BBBSDE is the premier nonprofit youth mentoring organization in the state of Delaware. For more than 60 years, BBBSDE has worked to help mentees excel in school, improve their relationships within the community, and make positive life choices. Volunteers serve as friends, mentors, and role models, helping children build the confidence, relationships, and educational foundation they need to thrive. Big Brothers and Big Sisters encourage their Little Brothers or Sisters to realize their potential.
BBBSDE has been serving Delaware children and youth since 1964. The 60-plus year history spans six decades of Delaware community life, from the civil rights era through the technological revolution and into the current period. The Delaware institutional history means BBBSDE has served generations of Delaware families, in some cases matching the children of former Littles or connecting former Bigs who are now raising children who become Littles themselves.
For more than 50 years (now 60-plus), BBBSDE has worked to help mentees excel in school, improve their relationships within the community, and make positive life choices. The 85-percent school attitude improvement, 71-percent academic improvement, and 77-percent positive sense of the future from the 2018-2019 outcome data reflect the sustained investment in program quality that six decades of operations have built.
The community-based program is BBBSDE's traditional flagship model. A Big is matched with a Little based on similarities. They spend time together two to three times per month. The volunteer and child decide what activities they do and when. The goal is for the child to have new experiences, develop confidence, build a relationship, and most importantly to have fun. Each match is professionally supported by an assigned staff person. A donation of $100 funds enrichment activities (tickets to the movies, museums, concerts, and sporting events) for both Littles and Bigs to spend time together, creating lasting memories.
BBBSDE operates school-based mentoring across multiple Delaware partner schools. A volunteer visits a child at school at least once per week for one hour. During this time, the volunteer and child may work on classwork where the child needs extra help, play educational games provided by the agency, have lunch, or just sit and talk. Each match is professionally supported by an assigned staff person. A donation of $25 provides school-based program supplies (puzzles, board games, and STEM kits) to Littles and their mentors during mentoring sessions to support bonding and relationship development.
The Beyond School Walls program at BBBSDE provides career and college preparation workshops and materials for high school youth. Program components include SAT prep books and workshops, career exploration classes, and college tours. The Beyond School Walls model follows BBBSA national network best practices for serving older youth through the post-secondary transition period. A donation of $50 funds career and college preparation workshops and materials for one high school youth in the Beyond School Walls program.
In October 2019, the Sallie Mae Fund presented a $100,000 contribution to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware at a ceremony at The Bancroft School in Wilmington. Raymond J. Quinlan, Chairman and CEO of Sallie Mae, joined BBBSDE executive director Mary P. Fox, Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings, and Wilmington City Council Member Michelle Harlee (4th District) at the ceremony.
The grant supported BBBSDE's school-based mentoring initiatives to connect at-promise youth with adult role models. Mary P. Fox said: "Through Sallie Mae's ongoing support, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware is able to expand its reach and help more kids discover the endless opportunities that come from an education. It's partners like Sallie Mae that equip us with the means to continue making a difference in the lives of young adults." Quinlan noted: "It's particularly gratifying to partner with organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware who share in the broader mission of building brighter futures for young people in our communities and helping them create the lives they imagine."
Cheryl Mitchell was recognized as Delaware Big Sister of the Year for her match with Little Sister Niz'a. The Big Sister of the Year recognition celebrates Bigs who have demonstrated exceptional commitment, creativity, and impact in their mentoring relationships. Mitchell's recognition reflects the depth of engagement that BBBSDE's most dedicated volunteer mentors bring to the program.
Diana serves as BBBSDE's finance staff. She is a CPA and accountant with decades of experience working with nonprofit organizations, both as an auditor and as a director of finance. She previously worked for West End Neighborhood House in Wilmington and various for-profit companies throughout New Castle County. Diana is a graduate of Wilmington University. Ronike Haynie is a community and youth advocate who serves as a certified Youth Mental Health First Aid Responder and uses a trauma-informed care approach when dealing with at-risk youth. He previously worked as a program manager at West End Neighborhood House and is currently a Safety Ambassador for Reach Riverside's Teen Warehouse. Haynie is a graduate of Delaware State University.
To become a Big in Delaware, visit bbbsde.org or call (302) 998-3577. BBBSDE serves children ages 6-18 across Delaware. Community-based matches spend time together two to three times per month. School-based matches visit at school once a week for one hour. The agency takes care in selecting volunteers, orienting them, and matching them with children based on compatibility, shared interests, and geographic proximity. Beyond finding the right mentor, BBBSDE staff provide ongoing support and supervision to the Big, Little, and the Little's family.
Donations can be made at bbbsde.org or by mail to the Baynard Building headquarters. BBBSDE is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations are tax-deductible. Specific donation levels: $25 provides school-based program supplies; $50 funds Beyond School Walls career and college prep workshop materials for one youth; $100 funds enrichment activities for a Big and Little match. The Sallie Mae Fund $100,000 partnership represents one of the major single-grant commitments to BBBSDE. Delaware corporate partners and state government relationships provide additional sustained revenue.
For pure scale of youth-serving nonprofit infrastructure in Delaware, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Delaware and various community organizations reach more children through after-school programming. For one-to-one structured mentoring specifically, BBBSDE is the largest single agency in Delaware with the 60-plus year institutional history, the three-program portfolio (community-based, school-based, Beyond School Walls), the Sallie Mae Fund corporate partnership, and the professional Match Specialist case management that distinguishes structured mentoring.
Last updated May 2026. BBBSDE serving Delaware children and youth since 1964, headquarters Baynard Building Suite 240 3411 Silverside Rd Wilmington DE 19810, phone (302) 998-3577, website bbbsde.org, from the ZoomInfo BBBSDE overview and the BBBSDE About Us page. For 50 years (now 60+ years) BBBSDE working to help mentees excel in school improve relationships and make positive life choices, Littles throughout the state waiting for mentors some for years real shortage for mentors, from the United Way of Delaware BBBSDE profile (dated 2020 with 111 children on waitlist). Community-based mentoring (volunteer and child matched based on similarities spending time 2-3 times per month choosing own activities and timing), school-based mentoring (at least once per week one hour at school during lunch with classwork educational games or talking), Beyond School Walls program (SAT prep books and workshops career exploration classes college tours for high school youth), donation levels ($25 school-based supplies including puzzles board games STEM kits, $50 Beyond School Walls career and college prep materials, $100 enrichment activities like movies museums concerts sporting events for matched pair), from the BBBSDE LinkedIn Giving Tuesday post. Sallie Mae Fund $100,000 contribution ceremony at The Bancroft School Wilmington October 2019 with Sallie Mae Chairman and CEO Raymond J. Quinlan, BBBSDE executive director Mary P. Fox, Delaware AG Kathy Jennings, Wilmington City Council Member Michelle Harlee 4th District, supporting school-based mentoring initiatives to connect at-promise youth with adult role models, Fox quote about Sallie Mae support expanding reach, Quinlan quote about building brighter futures, from the Sallie Mae Business Wire October 2019 news release. 2018-2019 school year outcomes (85 percent improved attitude toward school, 71 percent overall academic improvements, 77 percent more positive sense of future) from the same Sallie Mae release. Delaware Big Sister of Year Cheryl Mitchell with Little Sister Niz'a from the BBBSDE homepage. Staff Diana (CPA finance, West End Neighborhood House background, Wilmington University graduate) and Ronike Haynie (community youth advocate, Youth Mental Health First Aid certified, trauma-informed care, West End Neighborhood House program manager, Safety Ambassador Reach Riverside Teen Warehouse, Delaware State University graduate) from the BBBSDE Leadership and Staff page. We are not affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Delaware and receive no compensation for this listing. Errors: [email protected]
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