Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island (BBBSRI) is the largest and oldest youth mentoring organization in the State of Rhode Island, founded in 1966. The organization is entering its 60th anniversary year in 2026. Katje Afonseca serves as CEO, having been with BBBSRI for nearly 12 years. BBBSRI was named #1 Best Places to Work 2025 (Small Companies) by Providence Business News, with 38 employees. The organization oversees two 501(c)(3) entities: BBBSRI (mentoring for youth ages 7-25) and the Donation Center Foundation of Rhode Island (a social enterprise that collects used clothing and household goods for resale, opened in 1997, keeping 3-5 million pounds of cloth from Rhode Island landfills annually). Community-based matching requires a minimum 18-month commitment with Littles ages 7-15 meeting Bigs for 6-8 hours per month. In May 2026, BBBSRI announced five new staff appointments including Ray Nuñez as Chief Advancement Officer and the return of former Program Director Tiana Ochoa. BBBSRI also received a Mackenzie Scott gift and operates the Big Believers monthly giving program.
Since 1966, BBBSRI has grown to serve thousands of youth in Rhode Island by connecting them with positive adult role models who help ignite their full potential. The main priority is to build strong, long-term mentoring relationships that provide positive growth for all involved. BBBSRI provides the essential training, tools, and guidance needed for success. No matter the schedule, there's a way to get involved, from one-time opportunities to ongoing mentoring.
A dream for the future requires a plan to get there. BBBSRI serves young people ages 7 to 25 by pairing them in one-to-one mentoring relationships with caring adult volunteers. Mentoring is one of the most effective means of positively influencing the future of a child. Local outcomes for mentees include improved self-confidence, enhanced ability to express their feelings, better decision-making skills, and improved academic performance.
BBBSRI was founded in 1966 and is entering its 60th anniversary year in 2026. The 60-year history makes BBBSRI one of the longer-established state-level BBBS affiliates on the East Coast. Six decades of Rhode Island community service have built deep institutional relationships, sustained donor partnerships, and the kind of alumni network that BBBSRI draws on when recruiting new Bigs and donors.
BBBSRI is the largest and oldest youth mentoring organization in the State of Rhode Island. This dual distinction (largest AND oldest) reflects both the longevity of the organization and its continued growth over six decades rather than stagnation.
Katje Afonseca serves as CEO of BBBSRI, having been with the organization for nearly 12 years. Under her leadership, BBBSRI was named #1 Best Places to Work 2025 in the Small Companies category by Providence Business News, with 38 employees. BBBSRI also ranked #4 in PBN Healthiest Employers Awards 2024 in the 2-99 employees category, with 32 employees at that time.
Afonseca has implemented multiple programs and policies addressing employee mental and physical health. BBBSRI's wellness committee develops activities promoting employee well-being, preventing burnout, and relieving stress. Staff are allowed to use paid time for mental health care, including scheduling therapy sessions during work hours. Afonseca: "We want to normalize talking about and caring for the mental health of our employees." The workplace culture focus reflects the reality that BBBSRI staff deal with challenging issues and difficult family situations that require emotional support infrastructure.
The community-based mentoring program is BBBSRI's primary model. Matches pair Bigs (adult volunteer mentors, at least 19 years old) with Littles (at-risk youth ages 7-15) based on personality, common interests, the child's needs, and the volunteer's strengths. Matches meet 6-8 hours per month in the community. BBBSRI requires a minimum 18-month commitment, reflecting research that longer-term mentoring relationships produce better outcomes than short-term ones.
Match meetings take place in the community. BBBSRI staff provide ongoing match support by checking in consistently with the mentor, mentee, and family; monitoring the relationship; answering questions; and helping troubleshoot challenges. Staff work with outside agencies on referrals when necessary. The 18-month minimum and professional match support infrastructure distinguish BBBSRI's structured approach from informal mentoring arrangements.
The Donation Center Foundation of Rhode Island is a social enterprise operated under the BBBSRI 501(c)(3) umbrella. Opened in 1997, the Donation Center collects donations of used clothing and household goods for resale through thrift stores including Savers as a means of generating funds to support mentoring program expenses. Annually, the Donation Center keeps over 3 to 5 million pounds of cloth from entering Rhode Island landfills.
Donations are collected through home pick-ups, community donation drop-off centers, community collection drives, and clothing donation bins. Clothing and household item donations are accepted year-round at DonateRI.org. The Donation Center model provides BBBSRI with a diversified revenue stream beyond individual and corporate philanthropy, making the organization less vulnerable to economic cycles that reduce charitable giving.
In May 2026, as BBBSRI entered its 60th anniversary year, the organization announced five new appointments across advancement, programs, and operations teams. Ray Nuñez joined as Chief Advancement Officer, leading the full fundraising and advancement portfolio. Nuñez is co-founder and Senior Advisor of Nuñez, a Providence-based marketing and fundraising agency. Tiana Ochoa, a former BBBSRI Program Director who spent five years building her leadership career elsewhere, chose to return to the organization.
Afonseca reflected on the appointments: "This team reflects years of intention. Tiana coming back tells you something about the impact we make. Ray joining us at this particular moment tells you something about where we're going. These new team members bring exactly the skills and the commitment this chapter requires. I couldn't be more excited to have them here."
Big Believers is BBBSRI's monthly giving program. Individuals interested in supporting BBBSRI can sign up at bigsri.org for a regular monthly investment that provides sustainable income for the organization to provide more Rhode Island children with mentors. Monthly giving provides BBBSRI with reliable recurring revenue for operational planning rather than the lumpy cash flow of event-based and campaign-based giving alone.
BBBSRI was among the BBBS agencies nationally to receive a gift from Mackenzie Scott, whose philanthropic giving through Yield Giving has directed large, unrestricted grants to established nonprofits. The recognition reflects BBBSRI's standing as a well-governed, high-impact organization within the BBBSA national network. The 2023 Keys to Success awards recognized Justin (Donation Center Attendant), Tiffany (Match Support Specialist), and Tina (Senior Director, Marketing) with the Dr. Dorothy Visionary Leadership Award for dedication to mission and outstanding leadership.
To become a Big in Rhode Island, visit bigsri.org. Community-based mentoring requires a minimum 18-month commitment, meeting Littles ages 7-15 for 6-8 hours per month. Bigs must be at least 19 years old. The site-based program provides alternative formats. The screening process includes application, references, background check, interviews, and orientation. BBBSRI matches Bigs and Littles based on personality, common interests, the child's needs, and the volunteer's strengths.
Clothing and household item donations are accepted year-round at DonateRI.org. The Donation Center collects through home pick-ups, community drop-off centers, collection drives, and clothing bins. The Donation Center works in partnership with thrift stores including Savers. Annually, the Donation Center keeps 3-5 million pounds of cloth from entering Rhode Island landfills, making the clothing donation a dual-benefit contribution: supporting youth mentoring and reducing textile waste.
For pure scale of youth-serving nonprofit infrastructure in Rhode Island, Boys and Girls Clubs of Providence and YMCA affiliates reach more children through after-school programming. For one-to-one structured mentoring specifically, BBBSRI is the largest and oldest single agency in Rhode Island. BBBSRI's specific advantages: the 60-year institutional history, the #1 Best Places to Work 2025 recognition, the Donation Center social enterprise diversifying revenue beyond philanthropy (3-5M lbs from landfills/year), the 18-month minimum match commitment reflecting commitment to long-term outcomes, the Big Believers monthly giving program, the May 2026 new leadership hires as the org enters its 60th year, and the Mackenzie Scott gift recognition.
Last updated May 2026. BBBSRI as largest and oldest youth mentoring organization in Rhode Island founded 1966, entering 60th anniversary year 2026, CEO Katje Afonseca nearly 12 years with org, #1 Best Places to Work 2025 Small Companies with 38 local employees, from the PBN Providence Business News June 2025 Best Places to Work awards article. BBBSRI #4 PBN Healthiest Employers Awards 2024 (2-99 employees category) with 32 employees, Afonseca mental health quote about normalizing talking about and caring for mental health, staff allowed to use paid time for therapy sessions during work hours, from the PBN August 2024 Healthiest Employers article. Two 501c3 organizations (BBBSRI mentoring for youth ages 7-25, Donation Center Foundation of Rhode Island social enterprise keeping 3-5 million pounds of cloth from Rhode Island landfills annually opened 1997 collecting through home pick-ups community donation drop-off centers collection drives and clothing donation bins, working with Savers thrift stores), community-based mentoring minimum 18-month commitment Bigs at least 19 years old Littles ages 7-15 meeting 6-8 hours per month in community matched based on personality common interests child needs and volunteer strengths, staff monitor relationship answer questions help troubleshoot challenges and work with outside agencies on referrals, from the GuideStar BBBSRI profile (EIN 22-2606942) and the BBBSRI What Makes Us Special page (bigsri.org/about/what-makes-us-special). Five new May 2026 appointments including Ray Nunez as Chief Advancement Officer (co-founder and Senior Advisor of Nunez Providence-based marketing and fundraising agency) and Tiana Ochoa (former BBBSRI Program Director who spent 5 years building leadership career elsewhere and chose to come back), Afonseca quote about team reflecting years of intention, from the BBBSRI May 13 2026 announcement (bigsri.org/new-hires/). Big Believers monthly giving program, DonateRI.org for clothing donations, from the BBBSRI LinkedIn page. Mackenzie Scott gift recipient and 2023 Keys to Success awards (Justin Donation Center Attendant, Tiffany Match Support Specialist, Tina Senior Director Marketing receiving Dr. Dorothy Visionary Leadership Award), from the BBBSRI LinkedIn page. We are not affiliated with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Rhode Island and receive no compensation for this listing. Errors: [email protected]
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