Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kamloops

National History

In 1902 Ernest Coulter, court clerk, helps organize the first New York Children's Court; Ladies of Charity, later Catholic Big Sisters of New York, start to befriend girls who come before the New York Children's Court.
In 1903, a Cincinnati businessman looked out his office window and noticed a little boy searching through some garbage for food. The man, Irving Westheimer, invited the boy, Tom, to a decent lunch. When he took Tom home and saw his family's appalling conditions, Westheimer offered the boy's widowed mother and oldest sister jobs in his factory. As the friendship between man and boy flourished, Irving convinced other men at his club to begin similar relationships. It was one of these boys who coined the phrase "Big Brother".
In 1904, Ernest Coulter, New York newspaperman who left journalism to work in the city's first children's court, started his own crusade to foster adult-youth who came through his courts. Coulter became increasingly appalled by the suffering and misery displayed by the thousands of children who passed through the court every year. On December 3, 1904, Coulter appeared at a men's club of Central Presbyterian Church of New York which included a group of civic and business leaders. He told them about a youngster who was destined to be sentenced for 18 months in a reformatory for a petty offense. "There is only one way to save that youngster," began Coulter, "and that is to have some earnest, true man volunteer to be his big brother, look after him, help him to do right…" Every man in the room raised his hand. From that meeting 40 men signed up to initiate a relationship with a boy from the court caseload, including the boy Ernest had described; thus he had his first group of Big Brothers. Activity continued to spread throughout New York City, and in 1909 some of these same men joined Ernest in formally incorporating the first Big Brothers Big Sisters' agency in the nation, Big Brothers of New York, Inc.
While the Big Brothers were forming, so were the Big Sisters. The Ladies of Charity on New York was one of the very first mentoring organizations aimed at girls. Shortly after New York Big Brothers was formed, the Ladies changed its name to Catholic Big Sisters in 1905. Its founder was Mrs. John O'Keefe, who is considered the first Big Sister.
Planning for the first national Big Brothers and Big Sisters organizations began in 1914. There was tremendous growth in various cities, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Milwaukee. Irving Westheimer and Ernest Coulter were influential in the movement for collaboration between the different agencies. The first federation got under way in 1921, but it was short lived. During the Great Depression, the federation dissolved and would not emerge again until the 1950s.
In 1958 the United States Congress officially chartered a newly formed Big Brother of America. Then, in 1970, Big Sisters International was chartered. These two organizations would merge in 1977 to form Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, establishing the national headquarters in Philadelphia. By 1994, the BBBSA federation had matched 75,000 children from single-parent homes with caring adult volunteers through more than 500 agencies in all 50 states

Canadian History:

In Canada, the first Big Brother program began in Toronto in 1913. Although loosely structured and lacking specific guidelines, its primary focus was to offer a program of personal friendship to father absent boys who had appeared in juvenile court. Not many new Big Brother groups were established until in the 1950's when policy changes resulted in the service being provided to any boy lacking a consistent male influence and falling within age guidelines. In December 1964, representatives from 10 Big Brother agencies met to coordinate the program and to establish standards of operation. As a result, Big Brothers of Canada was born.By 1972 about 3000 boys were being served in Canada by 60 agencies, by 1975 there were 5200 children matched in 100 agencies, and by 1980 there were 150 agencies were serving 7200 children.In 2001 there was a merger between Big Brothers of Canada, Big Sisters of Canada, and Big Sisters of Ontario to become under one name, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.As a result, today there are 185 agencies across Canada serving more than 15,000 boys and girls.

Local History:

In 1963 the Big Brothers agency was organized in Kamloops, and in 1969 it was granted a charter and became a chapter of Big Brothers of British Columbia.Then, in 1978 The Kamloops chapter became a society and thus incorporated under the Societies Act.It wasn’t until 1984 that the Big Sisters program was incorporated and we became a joint Big Brothers Big Sisters program.The agency continues to grow, in 1991 we made our first Couples match, in 1995 the In-School Mentoring Program began, in 2003 the Aboriginal Mentoring Component was added, and in 2006 the Big Bunch Program was started.

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	National History In 1902 Ernest Coulter, court clerk, helps organize the first New York Children's Court; Ladies of Charity, later Catholic Big Sisters of New York, start to befriend girls who come before the New York Children's Court. In 1903, a Cincinnati businessman looked out his office window and noticed a little boy searching through some garbage for food. The man, Irving Westheimer, invited the boy, Tom, to a decent lunch. When he took Tom home and saw his family's appalling conditions, Westheimer offered the boy's widowed mother and oldest sister jobs in his factory. As the friendship between man and boy flourished, Irving convinced other men at his club to begin similar relationships. It was one of these boys who coined the phrase "Big Brother". In 1904, Ernest Coulter, New York newspaperman who left journalism to work in the city's first children's court, started his own crusade to foster adult-youth who came through his courts. Coulter became increasingly appalled by the suffering and misery displayed by the thousands of children who passed through the court every year. On December 3, 1904, Coulter appeared at a men's club of Central Presbyterian Church of New York which included a group of civic and business leaders. He told them about a youngster who was destined to be sentenced for 18 months in a reformatory for a petty offense. "There is only one way to save that youngster," began Coulter, "and that is to have some earnest, true man volunteer to be his big brother, look after him, help him to do right…" Every man in the room raised his hand. From that meeting 40 men signed up to initiate a relationship with a boy from the court caseload, including the boy Ernest had described; thus he had his first group of Big Brothers. Activity continued to spread throughout New York City, and in 1909 some of these same men joined Ernest in formally incorporating the first Big Brothers Big Sisters' agency in the nation, Big Brothers of New York, Inc. While the Big Brothers were forming, so were the Big Sisters. The Ladies of Charity on New York was one of the very first mentoring organizations aimed at girls. Shortly after New York Big Brothers was formed, the Ladies changed its name to Catholic Big Sisters in 1905. Its founder was Mrs. John O'Keefe, who is considered the first Big Sister. Planning for the first national Big Brothers and Big Sisters organizations began in 1914. There was tremendous growth in various cities, including New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Milwaukee. Irving Westheimer and Ernest Coulter were influential in the movement for collaboration between the different agencies. The first federation got under way in 1921, but it was short lived. During the Great Depression, the federation dissolved and would not emerge again until the 1950s. In 1958 the United States Congress officially chartered a newly formed Big Brother of America. Then, in 1970, Big Sisters International was chartered. These two organizations would merge in 1977 to form Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, establishing the national headquarters in Philadelphia. By 1994, the BBBSA federation had matched 75,000 children from single-parent homes with caring adult volunteers through more than 500 agencies in all 50 states Canadian History: In Canada, the first Big Brother program began in Toronto in 1913. Although loosely structured and lacking specific guidelines, its primary focus was to offer a program of personal friendship to father absent boys who had appeared in juvenile court. Not many new Big Brother groups were established until in the 1950's when policy changes resulted in the service being provided to any boy lacking a consistent male influence and falling within age guidelines. In December 1964, representatives from 10 Big Brother agencies met to coordinate the program and to establish standards of operation. As a result, Big Brothers of Canada was born.By 1972 about 3000 boys were being served in Canada by 60 agencies, by 1975 there were 5200 children matched in 100 agencies, and by 1980 there were 150 agencies were serving 7200 children.In 2001 there was a merger between Big Brothers of Canada, Big Sisters of Canada, and Big Sisters of Ontario to become under one name, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada.As a result, today there are 185 agencies across Canada serving more than 15,000 boys and girls. Local History: In 1963 the Big Brothers agency was organized in Kamloops, and in 1969 it was granted a charter and became a chapter of Big Brothers of British Columbia.Then, in 1978 The Kamloops chapter became a society and thus incorporated under the Societies Act.It wasn’t until 1984 that the Big Sisters program was incorporated and we became a joint Big Brothers Big Sisters program.The agency continues to grow, in 1991 we made our first Couples match, in 1995 the In-School Mentoring Program began, in 2003 the Aboriginal Mentoring Component was added, and in 2006 the Big Bunch Program was started.