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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island
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News

BBBSLI

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Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island (BBBSLI) creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

This year, we are proud to introduce a brand-new h This year, we are proud to introduce a brand-new honor: Volunteer of the Year 💚

🎉 Congratulations to our very first recipient, Heather Bowen-Leaver! 

From serving as a Big Sister and Board Member to championing our Holiday for Kids’ Sake program, recruiting supporters, volunteering at events, organizing donation drives, and serving on multiple committees, Heather consistently goes above and beyond to support our mission.

Whether she’s helping secure gifts for hundreds of children during the holidays, volunteering behind the scenes at events, or opening doors for new opportunities, Heather leads with generosity, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to Long Island’s youth.

Heather embodies what it means to give back, and this recognition could not be more deserved. 

Congratulations and thank you for all you do! 👏✨

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#volunteer #volunteeroftheyear #giveback #bebig
This year, one winner just wasn’t enough… Co This year, one winner just wasn’t enough… 

Congratulations to our 2026 BIGS of the Year, Brian Marksohn and Peter Janowsky 🏆🎉

Brian has been matched with his Little Brother, Michael, since 2017 and has remained a constant source of support through every milestone, graduation, achievement and even college move-in day! 

Even after moving to Florida, Brian continued traveling back to Long Island bi-monthly to spend time with Michael, proving that mentorship knows no distance 💚

(Brian was unable to join us in person to accept his award, but we’ll let it slide since he was busy enjoying a well-deserved vacation in Greece 😎)

Peter has been matched with his Little Brother, Moises, for the past year and a half, building a bond that feels more like family than friendship. Moises submitted not one, but two nomination videos— including a second version translated to English so the world could hear just how much his Big means to him.

These extraordinary matches remind us that mentorship changes lives— not just for Littles, but for everyone involved 🫶

Please join us in congratulating Brian and Peter! Thank you for the impact you both have made. We are honored to celebrate you as our 2026 BIGS OF THE YEAR 🏆👏🖤

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#mentorship #bigoftheyear #winner #giveback #bebig
⚠️ WARNING: This video contains an overload of ⚠️ WARNING: This video contains an overload of adorable mentorship moments!! 🥹

Every year, our Littles have the opportunity to nominate their Big for Long Island’s Big of the Year award— and they never disappoint 💚

From creative videos and touching stories to heartfelt letters and poems, we received dozens of incredible submissions celebrating the mentors who have made a lasting impact on their lives.

Here’s a glimpse of some of the sweet, funny and unforgettable moments shared with us this year 🫶

Don’t go far… our winner reveal is coming up in our next post 👀✨

🔗 Interested in checking out ALL our submissions in their entirety? Head to the link in our bio now!

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#mentorship #longisland #bebig
What a night! 💚✨ Our 2026 Volunteer & Donor What a night! 💚✨

Our 2026 Volunteer & Donor Appreciation Celebration was filled with inspiring stories, well-deserved recognition, and life-changing opportunities!

Thanks to the John & Dorothy Talotta Scholarship Fund, we proudly awarded 16 incredible Littles with first-year college scholarships totaling more than $50,000 🤩

Since its inception, the fund has provided over $850,000 in scholarships, helping our Littles take the next step toward their dreams!

We also recognized some extraordinary volunteers with our highly coveted Big of the Year Award, and introduced our brand-new Volunteer of the Year Award 🏆

Who took home the honors? You’ll have to stay tuned—we’ll be sharing our winners soon 👀

Thank you to our donors, volunteers, supporters, and mentors for helping make brighter futures possible every day! Such a wonderful evening!

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#mentorship #volunteer #bebig
WIN A BOAT 🛥️✨ Don’t miss out on your ch WIN A BOAT 🛥️✨

Don’t miss out on your chance to win a 2026 Steiger Craft 21’ Classic Center Console ⚓️

🚨LIMITED TIME SPECIAL OFFER: Buy 3 tickets, get 2 free!!

$100 per entry and 100% of all sales directly benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island!

Winner to be drawn LIVE on August 14, 2026 at @hamptons_shootout awards dinner. Winner need not be present. Taxes are the responsibility of winner. 

Get your tickets TODAY at the link in our bio!

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#boat #boating #entertowin #longisland #bebig
Time flies when you’re making a difference 🎉💚

Please join us in congratulating 22 of our incredible matches on the celebration of their recent anniversaries together 🎊

This fabulous group has achieved a variety of milestones ranging from 1 year, all the way up to 7 YEARS (shoutout to Kaymauri & Doug!) of match-amazingness together 🤩

Thank you to our friends from the Sinclair at Port Washington for hosting this lovely celebration and helping us recognize the relationships that have made a lasting impact on our youth! 

Congratulations Bigs and Littles! We can’t wait to watch these beautiful friendships continue to grow 🫶

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#anniversary #celebrate #mentorship #bebig
A tee-rific day for mentorship ⛳️🖤 Thank y A tee-rific day for mentorship ⛳️🖤

Thank you again to our sponsors, golfers, supporters and honoree, Ryan Thiel, for making this year’s Stephen Cohen Memorial Golf Outing such a BIG success! 

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#golf #golfouting #giveback #longisland #bebig
A great day FORE an even better cause 💚⛳️ A great day FORE an even better cause 💚⛳️

Our 2026 Stephen Cohen Memorial Golf Outing was an incredible success, raising more than ✨$100,000✨ in support of youth mentorship on Long Island!

A special thank you to our honoree, Ryan Thiel, for his unwavering support of our mission and commitment to creating brighter futures for Long Island’s youth 🫶

We are deeply grateful to our golfers, sponsors and supporters who made this event possible!

We’d call that a HOLE-IN-ONE for Long Island’s youth 👏🏌️

Presenting Sponsor: The Pinnacle Financial Group

Sponsors: 
Piping Rock
Ryan Thiel
Rich & Jen Grossi
Contract Pharmacal Corp
The Cohen Family
Ike, Molly & Steven Elias Foundation
IT Solutions
Naka Tech
Freemen Nutra Group

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#golf #golfouting #mentorship #bebig
Please join us in welcoming our BRAND NEW April an Please join us in welcoming our BRAND NEW April and May matches ✨

We’re so thrilled to have you join the BBBSLI family and can’t wait to see where your mentorship journey leads you 💚🖤

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#mentorship #giveback #bebig
A strong mentoring relationship can change the tra A strong mentoring relationship can change the trajectory of a young person’s life. 

When youth have access to a safe, welcoming space and someone who believes in them, they begin to feel that they truly belong 🫶

That sense of belonging unlocks confidence, resilience, and opportunity.

This #PrideMonth, we’re celebrating the strength and spark that lives in every young person 🏳️‍🌈

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#Mentorship #Pride #BeBig
Consider this your sign 🎶 Schedule your clothi Consider this your sign 🎶

Schedule your clothing donation pickup TODAY at the link in our bio 🚛

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#pitchperfect #warehouse #trending #donate #fyp
IT’S ALMOST TEE TIME ⛳️ We’re less than 1 IT’S ALMOST TEE TIME ⛳️

We’re less than 1 WEEK out from our 2026 Stephen Cohen Memorial Golf Outing on June 1 at The Muttontown Club, and we could not be more excited!

Join us as we honor Ryan Thiel of The Pinnacle Financial Group and support youth mentorship on Long Island 💚

LAST CHANCE to register your foursome or as an individual golfer 📣 Don’t miss out ‼️

Head to the link in our bio for event details and registration information 🔗
 
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#golf #golfouting #longislandgolf #bebig
FUTURE READY 💼✨ Last week, we hosted a Caree FUTURE READY 💼✨

Last week, we hosted a Career Readiness Day for our site-based program at Floyd Academy, giving nearly 50 students in grades 9–12 the opportunity to build confidence and prepare for life after graduation!

Students participated in mock interviews, a LinkedIn & Indeed seminar, and got to “shop” for brand-new professional clothing donations to help them feel their best stepping into future opportunities 🤩

For many, it was their very first experience with a job interview — making the day an especially impactful learning experience.

A BIG thank you to our 16 incredible volunteers from a variety of industries who dedicated their time to conducting interviews, helping students pick out business attire, and sharing valuable career advice and encouragement throughout the day 💚

Special shoutout to BBBSLI Board Member Heather Bowen-Leaver, Leadership Council Member Amy Spiros, and @nationalcharityleagueinc Garden City chapter for going above and beyond to collect clothing donations, along with all of our Bigs and supporters who volunteered to make this day possible.

The event wrapped up with students attending a Department of Labor job fair — dressed in their new professional outfits and ready to put their newfound confidence and skills into action 👏

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#career #careerday #mockinterview #mentorship #bebig
Mentorship meets TikTok University 🎬🤳 Our L Mentorship meets TikTok University 🎬🤳

Our Littles recently stepped into the world of digital content as they attended a Social Media Workshop hosted by BBBSLI’s Senior Digital Content Producer, Jess Falcone Cohen ✨ 

These scroll-stopping classes were presented through our Rise Up program, and allowed matches to learn the ins and outs of social media and how to create engaging, viral-style videos!

From writing scripts and witty captions, to filming their own content alongside their Bigs, the room was filled with creativity, teamwork and so much enthusiasm! 

Beyond making videos, the workshops helped Littles build valuable skills in communication, collaboration, digital literacy and self-expression — all while exploring new interests in a supportive environment 💚

Now the competition is on 👀 

All videos produced and filmed by our workshop attendees are LIVE on BBBSLI’s TikTok account, and can be found at the link in our bio!

👉 The top-performing video will be awarded a gift card grand prize, so we need YOU to help be the judge! 

Head over to our TikTok account now to drop a like, leave a comment or share with your friends to engage with and encourage our Little Producers, and help us crown our winner 🎥🤩

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#socialmedia #contentcreation #digital #mentorship #bebig
Our 2026 Stephen Cohen Memorial Golf Outing is LES Our 2026 Stephen Cohen Memorial Golf Outing is LESS THAN 1 MONTH AWAY 🔔

Join us on June 1 at The Muttontown Club as we honor Ryan Thiel of The Pinnacle Financial Group and support youth mentorship on Long Island ⛳️💚

Foursomes and sponsorship opportunities are still available! 

Head to the link in our bio for event details and registration information 🔗
 
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#golf #golfouting #longislandgolf #bebig
✨ RUNWAY RECAP 💫 Here’s a look back at all ✨ RUNWAY RECAP 💫

Here’s a look back at all the fun from our 2026 Catwalk for Kids Fashion Show 💕

Thank you to each and every one of you who made the night so unforgettable and helped raise nearly $70,000 in support of youth mentorship on Long Island! 

Presenting Sponsor: @stevemadden 

Sponsors:
@darbydental 
@jadestreetconsulting 
@macys 
@thehanoverbank 
@marchon 
@chipstechnologygroup 
@titosvodka 
@svaminternational 
@savers_thrift 
@1061bli 
@creativefocusdesigns 
@sirspeedyny 
@ultabeauty 
@quicksnapthepic 
@thesirshave 
@_djrob_ 
Porch Groove
Naka Tech
Michael & Kelly Stanley
Heather Bowen-Leaver
Liz Meyers
Triton Bay Wealth Advisors

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#fashion #fashionshow #mentorship #fundraiser #bebig
Mentorship took center stage last night at our 13t Mentorship took center stage last night at our 13th annual Catwalk For Kids Fashion Show 🤩💞

Together, we raised nearly $70,000 to support life-changing youth mentorship programs across Long Island!

Watching our Bigs and Littles light up the runway was unforgettable — their confidence grew with every strut down the catwalk, and it was truly inspiring to witness 💫

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible models, our amazing sponsors, attendees, and our honoree Paul Moran for helping make this the best night EVER!

Your support helps create brighter futures, stronger connections, and lasting impact for local youth.

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#fashion #fashionshow #fundraiser #mentorship #bebig
⏳💥 LAST CALL FOR TICKETS!!!! Our 2026 Catwal ⏳💥 LAST CALL FOR TICKETS!!!!

Our 2026 Catwalk For Kids Fashion Show is THIS THURSDAY, and you’re not going to want to miss out on this highly-anticipated event!

Get your tickets NOW at the link in our bio to secure your spot for an evening of fashion, food, fun and mentorship ✨

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#fashion #fashionshow #mentorship #bebig
To close out #NationalVolunteerMonth, meet Kyle O’Grady of @hofstramlax 💙🥍

His father’s mentorship helped shape the person he is today— and now, he’s paying it forward!

From organizing a toy collection for our annual Holiday For Kids’ Sake program to supporting our mission of youth mentorship, Kyle is making an impact where it matters most. 

Because every child deserves guidance, encouragement, and someone who believes in them. 

Now it’s your turn. Become a mentor. 

Head to the link in our bio to learn more 🔗

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#hofstra #lacrosse #collegeathlete #bebig
Please join us in congratulating our Chief Program Please join us in congratulating our Chief Program Officer, Fabiola Turner, on receiving the Certilman Balin Leadership Excellence Award at last night’s @imagine_awards 🏆💫

This award recognizes an exemplary nonprofit leader who focuses on innovation in driving organizational change and social impact ✨

Congratulations, Fabiola on this well-deserved honor!

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#leadership #femaleleaders #bebig
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Imagine a teenager on Long Island finishing up homework after school. Instead of waiting until the next in-person meeting, they open their laptop and connect with their mentor over a quick video call. In just a few minutes, they share their struggles, talk through challenges, and leave the call feeling supported and motivated. This is…

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Sometimes, the most powerful words a young person can hear are simple: “How are you really doing?” For many kids across Long Island, having someone ask — and genuinely listen — can make all the difference. In a world where stress, anxiety, and social pressures are rising, mentors often step into an unexpected role: becoming…

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In our first blog on intergenerational mentoring, we explored how connecting people across age groups builds stronger bonds. But there’s more to the story. Intergenerational mentoring in Long Island is not just about bridging a gap — it’s about creating mutual benefits that ripple through entire families and communities. Why Both Sides Win When people…

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Big Brothers Big Sisters Long Island logo

Nassau

25 Carle Rd.
Westbury, NY 11590
Phone: (516) 731-7880

Suffolk

145 Sycamore Avenue
Islandia, NY 11749
Phone: (631) 234-0000

For all customer service or donation pick-up related inquiries, please call
(631) 234-0000
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