Episodes
47
Latest episode
May 2026
Language
EN
At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee, we create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. We match children in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties who are facing adversity… with a caring adult mentor. All of BBBS mentors are volunteers. Big Brothers Big Sisters focuses on 3 areas: Educational success Avoidance of risky behavior Strengthening personal relationships And on the Little Big Chats Podcast, we highlight a new match every month so you can learn from their inspiring stories of friendship and growth. Visit bbbsmilwaukee.org to learn more.
Even before Little Sister Cat met Big Sister Hailey, she loved to read. But she didn't always have someone with whom to share her passion for books. Now that they're matched, they each have a constant outlet for their literary criticism and a source for new reading recommendations. And this pair is equally at home in the great outdoors as they are in a library, already planning many new adventures for the summer ahead.
With graduation nearing, it's that time of year when high school seniors are starting to think about what comes next. And for Little Brother Shawndell, he enters this period of uncertainty with the extra assurance of having a Big Brother of eight years who's been there and done that. Shawndell says his Big Brother Rafael is a "real man" who's been successful in life, family and his career. And now, Rafael is using that experience to help Shawndell make campus visits and enter the next phase of his life with confidence, setting him up for success no matter what the future holds.
The time and talents of generous volunteers are what makes it possible for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee to pursue its mission. But this year's Community-Based Match of the Year is going above and beyond in their support for the program that supports their match. Big Brother Glen and Little Brother Preston have taken it upon themselves to organize a Pickle Ball fundraiser in support of the BBBS organization. And Preston has even launched the first Little-managed REACH activity: a chess club for interested Littles who want to learn the game. So in this episode, we meet this remarkable match, learn what drives them, and hear how they've grown in their four years together.
Little Sister Mariyah has always been interested in art. But she never saw herself getting up at a fundraiser and SELLING her art, until Big Sister Sara gave her a little nudge. Over three years together in the Mentor2.0 program, they've always worked together to chart Mariyah's path into the future. And now, they can add Mentor2.0 Match of the Year to their list of wins.
In this episode of Little Big Chats, we celebrate January as National Mentoring Month by meeting three members of the Big Impact Group from Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee. With Keith, Olivia, and Carlos, we'll discuss the importance of mentorship, the challenges faced in recruitment and program development, and personal stories of mentorship that have shaped their lives. The conversation highlights the organization's goals for the future, especially in light of National Mentoring Month, and encourages community involvement to support local youth.
As we look back on 2025, we're grateful to have celebrated our 50th anniversary with so many friends of the BBBS program at the Big Bash event this summer. So many people came out and shared stories of how Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee has changed their lives for the better. In this episode, we hear from Big Sister Bailey, her Little Sister Davonna, and Davonna's real-life sister Chamiya, about a mentoring relationship that culminated in a trip to Alabama to stand up in Bailey's wedding. And then, we meet Big Brother Rafael and Little Brother Shawndell, to hear about a time when Rafael's been-there-done-that advice empowered Shawndell to effectively advocate for himself in a situation where it would have been easy to lose his temper.
BBBS of Metro Milwaukee has been supporting helpful mentoring relationships in the Milwaukee area for more than 50 years now. And it's truly our volunteer mentors who enable us to make such a massive impact on the community. In this episode, we meet Trevor, a community-based Big Brother who’s putting other men on notice to step up and take a stake in their community. And then we connect with Big Sister Betsy, who matched six years ago with her Little Sister Unasia, but didn’t realize she was basically getting ANOTHER mentee, Unasia’s twin sister Unique!
Some folks just don't know how to be bored. That's why, when Little Brother Nathan met his new Big Brother Glen, he knew they would be a great match. No matter what they found to talk about, they were both super interested and wanted to learn more. Now, years later, the pair has turned their broad interests into all kinds of diverse hobbies, including sailing with the Sea Scouts, working on bicycles and participating in archaeological digs. And, as a result, Nathan has so many different options when it comes to his plans for the future.
Little Sister Bella doesn't let just anyone into her life. As a freshman in high school, she's at that age where it's not "cool" to get excited about anything, and she's got to play it off chill not matter what. But when she met her Big Sister Marchelle a little more than a year ago, that started to change. Together, they've learned to match "each other's vibe," taking turns picking activities, trying new things together, and never "yucking" someone else's "yum." In this episode, we learn about their adventures together, including ice skating, making cookies, live theater and sampling weird candy from TikTok.
In this episode, we continue celebrating the 50th anniversary of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee, highlighting the importance of mentorship in transforming the lives of youth facing adversity. We'll speak with Julie Novak, the Chief Youth Protection Officer for BBBS's national office, about her 30+ year career with the organization and her family's continuing involvement. And longtime Milwaukee TV anchor Carole Meekins will join us to discuss the barriers to becoming a mentor, the intergenerational impact of mentoring, and the critical importance of addressing trauma in youth development.
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