Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters inspires hope through mentorship
By Robin Layton for YBBBS
When you think about the people who shaped your life, chances are someone believed in you before you believed in yourself. That’s exactly what Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters (YBBBS) does every single day.
Meet Big Sister Coleen and “Big Fur Brother” Grunt, who joined in a match with Little Sister Iris, 8, in September. This is the second match for both Big and Little. Grunt is in his first-ever match, though, and he really enjoyed hanging out with Iris when they first met … he even did tricks for her!
Iris is an active and curious Little Sister. Recently, the match went to the Heritage Park Zoo, and Iris was into seeing all the animals with her Big Sister. Sometimes they meet at the Little Sister’s school for recess and lunch. When they do, they play outside together and then sit down and chat while eating lunch in the cafeteria.
They have lots of park and library games ready for winter weather, and Grunt will likely join them and maybe play some dice with them in the near future.
“This is what we are all about,” shared Tiffany Chiaravalloti, YBBBS Program & Operations Director, “Every time a Big shows up, a Little learns they matter—and that changes everything.”
For more than 50 years, YBBBS has matched caring adult mentors (“Bigs”) with local youth (“Littles”), helping them discover their strengths, build confidence, and dream bigger. Since 1971, the agency has impacted more than 12,000 children and families across Yavapai County.
Our mentoring program has proven results:
- 92% of mentored youth keep or make plans for high school graduation and beyond.
- 85% stayed on track or improved their grades.
- 84% remained stable or improved depressive symptoms.
Mentoring doesn’t take perfection, just presence. A few hours a month can make a lifelong difference. And for those who can’t volunteer, there are plenty of ways to help through donations, event sponsorships, or attending Bowl For Kids’ Sake in April 2026 as a bowler or team captain.
Together, our community is building brighter futures: one match, one moment, one child at a time.
Learn more or get involved at www.azbigs.org.