bridging futures

Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi’s new home will significantly enhance its capacity to reach more children and youth and strengthen impact. The new Mentoring Center creates opportunities for collaboration with Goodwill Hawaiʻi and other service providers, allowing Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi to strengthen and better coordinate the community’s social services network. 
Join us in empowering Hawaiʻi's young people with the hope and resilience to create brighter futures. Together we can help them reconnect, recognize their value, and make positive changes for themselves and their communities.

mentoring center

The Mentoring Center: A Home Base For Bridging Futures 
Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi’s new Mentoring Center will significantly enhance our capacity to reach more children and youth and deepen impact. ​

The new Mentoring Center will support youth as well as their parents and families. 
​

• Youth Programs: Connecting youth to mentoring opportunities that align with their interests, passions, and goals expand their career pathways and help plan their future success. 

• Professional Services: Housing professional case management services and youth counseling with space available community workshops and training. 

• Community Space: Offering connection through events, programs activities and training.  

partnership

Building an Innovative Partnership 
Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi, with Goodwill Hawaiʻi have jointly acquired a building in Kakaʻako that is on the bus line and across the street from a Skyline Rail station. This innovative collaboration amplifies the established relationship between the two successful human services organizations, which jointly operate donation PODs that serve both entities.  
​
Both organizations are actively exploring additional avenues for cooperation to better serve clients. For example, Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi can connect teens and adults with Goodwill’s employment opportunities, while Goodwill can refer parents to Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi’s training programs.  
​
 “Both organizations are actively exploring additional avenues for cooperation to better serve clients.” 

---

Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi’s bold vision is to increase the number of young people we reach each year over the next five years from 1,000 to 5,000 to help secure the future of thousands. 

expansion

Funding This Expansion Opportunity 
The total campaign budget is $6.5 million: 

• $4.85 million – for acquisition, renovation, furniture fixtures & equipment), and fees. 

• $1.35 million – to cover three years of expenses for building operations and program expansion. 

• $300,000 – for campaign expenses including staff, campaign materials, meetings, and fees. 

The capital campaign committee is led by chairs Neill Char, Vice Chairman of First Hawaiian Bank, Lawrence Rodriguez, Business leader and philanthropist, and Dennis Brown, CEO Emeritus. Tyler Kurashige who is Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi’s President & CEO has an active role in the campaign. The board of directors and capital campaign committee is comprised of leaders within the business community who provide a wealth of experience in bringing capital acquisition and improvement projects to completion.  ​

---

history

Big Brothers Big Sisters History in Hawaiʻi 
To History​

“The single most common factor for children who develop resilience is at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult” 
-Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child report 

---

Losing Connection and Hope 
Each year Big Brothers Big sisters Hawaiʻi serves over 1000 youth and volunteers through one-to-one mentoring programs statewide. 
​
Big Brothers Big Sisters Hawaiʻi builds and supports relationships to ignite the best possible futures for our youth. We provide positive role models to help our youth avoid risky behaviors, embrace higher aspirations and hope for the future, and succeed in school.  

90%

of the children are from low-income or single-parent households.

100%

of the children we serve have experienced some form of trauma.

most

of the children lost a valuable connection to a parent due to divorce, separation, incarceration, homelessness, foster services, deployment, or abuse and neglect.  ​

---

30,000 ​

According to the estimates from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, at least 30,000 children and youth in Hawaiʻi are considered at risk having experienced serious trauma in their lives.

Victoria & Margaret's Story 
See Victoria and Margaret's story 

Other Real Life Stories
See other real life stories

DONATE