Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters Prescott office goes remote to devote resources to being even more present in the community
By Robin Layton, YBBBS Interim Executive Director
When I stepped into the role of Interim Executive Director at Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters earlier this year, I knew I was inheriting a legacy built on love, community, and possibility. For more than 50 years, our organization has stood as a steady force in the lives of local youth, giving them the guidance and encouragement they need to thrive.
As we focus on a bright future for us and our matches, I want to share why we are selling our Prescott office building. For some, that might sound like a loss. But for us, it is a conscious, hopeful step. A building is just walls and windows, but our mission lives in the laughter exchanged between a Big and a Little, in the text messages of encouragement, and in the moments when a young person feels seen and heard.
By shifting our resources away from maintaining a physical office, we are freeing ourselves to be even more present in the community, meeting families and volunteers where they are, as well as ensuring donations are invested directly into the 1:1 mentoring program.
Take Cathryn, a bright 13-year-old who recently began her journey with her Big Sister and YBBBS Board Member, Sherri Pimentel. When I checked in with Cathryn’s mom, she shared that although their time together has just begun, Cathryn is already eager for more. That simple desire, wanting to spend more time with her Big, is proof that the spark of connection is there. Sherri is kind, consistent, and invested. Cathryn is excited, hopeful, and ready to grow. Their relationship doesn’t depend on an office space; it flourishes in the moments they share together.
Stories like theirs are why we exist. Every decision we make, including selling the building, is grounded in one question: what best serves Yavapai County’s young people? The answer is clear: it’s the relationships, not the real estate.
So, to our community, I want to say this: our doors may be closing at one address, but our hearts and hands are more open than ever. We remain deeply committed to igniting the potential of every child we serve, one match at a time.
We’re also excited to be preparing for Bowl For Kids’ Sake Hawaiian Style in April 2026 in Prescott Valley and Camp Verde and can’t wait to engage our team captains and bowlers for this community fundraiser that was established in the 1980s.
We serve the youth of Yavapai County up to age 24, with support for career and education prep in the Big Futures program, which is a pathway to brighter futures with lasting, generational change.
If you believe in this mission and want to keep these life-changing relationships growing, I invite you to support us with a donation. Your generosity helps ensure that more children, like Cathryn, find the encouragement and connection they deserve. Because what matters most isn’t where we are, it’s who we’re here for.
Our Cottonwood office at 830 S. Main St. remains open, with office hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. We’re also in the Quad Cities every day, making and supporting matches. You can reach us at 928.778.5135, ybbbs@azbigs.org, and at azbigs.org.
Your donation up to varying amounts can be used as a dollar-for-dollar tax credit to pay your Arizona state tax bill. Learn more at azbigs.org.
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PHOTO: A YBBBS photo, with permission given by guardian of Little and Sherri to use in PWM.