After supporting youth in our community for 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton & Hamilton knows the impact of mentorship

It is thanks to the support of our community that we’ve matched thousands of volunteers to ignite the power and potential of young people. Please join us in celebrating the impact we’ve made over the last 100 years and consider making a donation to fuel the next 100 years of mentorship in our community!

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Our History

  • 1916
    Older photograph of a man at a baseball, mentoring a boy

    Under the auspices of the Rotary Club of Hamilton, we began to provide a community service of matching an adult man with a young boy who was in trouble with the law.

  • 1921

    The Big Brother Association of Hamilton and District begins to operate separately from the Rotary Club of Hamilton.

  • 1927
    black and white photograph of man holding a heart

    The first-ever staff person is hired by the Big Brother Association of Hamilton and District.

  • 1929
    a black and white photograph of a man sitting on a park bench, mentoring with a young boy.

    The Big Brother Association receives its corporate status.

  • 1964

    Big Brothers of Canada was founded by nine southern Ontario agencies and one from British Columbia. Hamilton is one of the charter members of Big Brothers of Canada.

  • 1965

    Big Brothers Association of Hamilton and District extended its services to Burlington.

  • 1981

    Big Brothers purchases the property at 639 Main Street East, Hamilton, and two years later commences construction for what is now the local Head Office.

  • 1988

    The organization becomes Big Brother Association of Burlington and Hamilton-Wentworth

  • 1994
    2 young boys and 1 young girl, sitting together outside of a school.

    Big Brothers extends its programs to local schools and the In-School Mentoring program was created.

  • 2003
    two women embracing each other, wearing blue big brothers big sisters volunteer shirts

    The organization amalgamates with their local sister affiliate and becomes Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hamilton and Burlington.

  • 2018

    The organization amalgamates with their Halton chapter and becomes Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton and Hamilton, doubling service capacity.

  • 2021
    Picture of a young boy at a Hamilton Tiger-Cats football game, in the concourse area.

    Marks 100 years of mentoring services provided in Hamilton. Today, more than 2,000 young people are served through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Halton and Hamilton each year.