Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts has earned national recognition for the quality and impact of its youth mentoring programs, receiving a Platinum Award from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America.
The award places the western Massachusetts affiliate among just 13 agencies nationwide — out of the more than 230 to be considered for recognition by the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Nationwide Leadership Council — to earn the top honor for exceptional program quality and long-lasting mentoring relationships in 2025. For Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts Development Coordinator Eleanor Pfeiffer, the honor reflects years of work building meaningful connections between young people and volunteer mentors.
“The Platinum Award is really focused on quality assurance,” Pfeiffer said. “It involves national checking in, making sure that Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Mass is meeting certain benchmarks of how often we’re checking in with our volunteers and families that we work with.”
Artis Stevens, president and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, said in a statement that the award recognizes the organization’s “dedication, innovation and steadfast belief in the power of mentorship to transform lives.”
“BBBSWM has shown outstanding leadership by strengthening the impact of mentorship while also reaching more young people who need it most,” Stevens said. “Their focus on building meaningful connections and sustaining long-term mentorship relationships is opening doors to life-changing opportunities for youth in their communities.”
The award also recognizes “match retention,” which refers to how long mentoring relationships continue. Pfeiffer mentioned that youth experience the greatest benefits when mentoring relationships continue for at least a year. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts has achieved one of the highest retention rates in the country.
That achievement is particularly notable because many of the organization’s programs are school-based and naturally shorter in duration. In Franklin County, programs like Lunch Buddies pair volunteers with elementary school students during lunch periods, creating opportunities for consistent connection throughout the school year. Rather than ending when the school year concludes, however, Pfeiffer explained many of those relationships carry on outside of school.
“We’ve actually been really successful in launching them into longer-term matches,” Pfeiffer said, noting that some mentoring relationships have continued for more than three years.
The national recognition comes at a significant moment for the local organization. This is the first time the award has been received by the merged western Massachusetts affiliate, which brought together the Franklin County and Hampden County branches in 2023. Pfeiffer sees the award as evidence that the merger has strengthened the organization while maintaining high standards of service.
“I think that speaks to how well that merger has gone and that we’ve been able to keep standards up even when we have to do all the work of merging two systems,” she said.
Today, the organization serves 317 young people across its service area, which includes Franklin, Hampden and Berkshire counties. According to Pfeiffer, growth has exceeded what either organization would have expected on its own before the merger.
One of the programs driving that growth is Lunch Buddies. Designed for people who may not have the flexibility to commit to a traditional mentoring schedule, the program allows volunteers to spend time with students during the school day.
Participants might be retirees, professionals with extended lunch breaks or community members looking for a manageable way to volunteer. The format has proven successful because it removes barriers that might prevent someone from becoming a mentor while still giving children a consistent, caring adult presence in their lives. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts hopes to expand the model by partnering with additional schools, organizations and businesses in the region.
While the Platinum Award helps demonstrate the organization’s impact, Pfeiffer believes the heart of the work remains the relationships themselves.
According to Pfeiffer, many volunteers are surprised by the care that goes into the matching process. Case managers consider personalities, interests and life experiences to create partnerships that benefit both mentors and mentees, respectively called “Bigs” and “Littles” within Big Brothers Big Sisters.
“We try really hard to make sure that interests and life experience match up in a way that volunteers are getting just as much out of it as our families’ little brothers and sisters,” Pfeiffer explained.
David Beturne, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts, credited the hard work of the organization’s staff, board members and volunteers with making the nonprofit’s growth and expanded impact possible.
“This recognition reflects the dedication of our team to both deepening our impact and expanding mentorship opportunities for more young people,” Beturne said in a statement. “We are proud of the progress we’ve made and remain committed to creating even more opportunities for youth in our community.”
Despite its recent success, the organization faces a familiar challenge: recruiting enough volunteers to meet demand. In Franklin County alone, 53 children are currently waiting to be matched with a mentor. Similar waiting lists exist in Springfield and Berkshire County.
Looking ahead, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Western Massachusetts plans to continue expanding its presence in Berkshire County while growing its volunteer base across the region. Pfeiffer said the need for mentors remains constant, and the rewards of mentoring often exceed volunteers’ expectations. Beyond measurable outcomes such as educational achievement, future earnings and self-confidence, Pfeiffer remarked, “You really get to see the kids grow and flourish and bloom into the best version of themselves. And that’s just a really rewarding experience that I don’t think you can replicate.”
For community members who are interested in becoming a mentor, Pfeiffer’s message is simple: “Go to bbbswm.org and volunteer.”
