WHO WE ARE

"The single most common factor for children who develop resilience is at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult." -Center on the Developing Child

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida (BBBSNEFL), is a mentoring organization that creates and supports one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Working within the communities of Northeast Florida since 1914, BBBSNEFL has effectively inspired change in the lives of thousands through impactful mentoring programs and meaningful relationships that defend and ignite today’s youth to reach their full potential.  We currently have active matches in Nassau, Duval, Baker, Clay, and Volusia Counties including a service footprint reaching Putnam, Flagler and Union Counties. 

 

By placing a caring adult in the life of a child, BBBSNEFL creates safe, high-quality, long-lasting mentoring relationships that help vulnerable youth beat the odds and reach their full potential through personal and academic achievement. Professionally supported by our staff, road-maps for success are developed in concert with parents, children, and mentors.  

 

More than 100 years later, Big Brothers Big Sisters remains true to our founder’s vision of bringing allies and defenders into the lives of children. Today, Big Brothers Big Sisters currently operates in all 50 states and in 12 countries around the world! 

OUR IMPACT...

We encourage you to view our Impact Reports to see how we've set our foundation, transitioned our program alignment and re-established growth patterns in all realms of our agency over time. We aim to innovate, engage and strengthen our organization year-round.

OUR PROGRAMS

BIGS WITH BADGES

Being a Big Brother or Big Sister with Badges is one of the most enjoyable things you’ll ever do, not to mention, one of the most fulfilling. You have the opportunity to help shape a child’s future for the better by molding their character, preparing them for life, and empowering them to achieve. And the best part is- we're building stronger communities together!

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OUR PROGRAMS

COMMUNITY-BASED

You can give a child the invaluable gift of friendship by spending just a few hours a month. To be a positive role model can be as simple as playing a board game, going to the playground, or participating in a Big Brothers Big Sisters activity. Just as your options are unlimited, so is a child’s potential. Are you ready to empower a youth to reach their full potential?

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OUR PROGRAMS

SCHOOL-BASED

Sometimes the best place to help a child realize their potential is at a school, community center, or corporate workplace. Whether mentoring occurs in the classroom, gym, or conference room, it’s all about developing a friendship, providing guidance and inspiring children to reach their potential.

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OUR PROGRAMS

BEYOND SCHOOL WALLS

Beyond School Walls (BSW) connects mentors from a local business with career academy students focused on the same targeted industry. Partnerships like these enrich the education and preparation of the career academy students by providing meaningful and relevant workplace experiences. Interested in participating in workplace mentoring? 

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IN 2023-24, WE MADE A BIG IMPACT

0

youth were served in 

Northeast Florida

0

were promoted on time

to the next grade 

0

children maintained

or improved attendance 

0

youth had no behavioral 

referrals or suspensions 

*Statistics based on metrics obtained for ~591 of 648 matches served

MAKE A DIFFERENCE TODAY

MEET THE NORTHEAST FLORIDA TEAM

SARA ALFORD 

Chief Executive Officer 

Favorite Childhood Memory: 

Cooking with my mom 

SAMANTHA DECARLO 

Education Support Specialist

Favorite Childhood Toy: 

A basketball

ISABELLE DEDRICK

Enrollment Match Specialist 

Favorite Childhood Movie: 

Mary Poppins 

BEVERLY FILER

Vice President of Programs

Favorite Childhood Activity: 

Playing Softball

CHELSEA FOUT

Match Support Specialist

Favorite Childhood Memory: 

Fishing with my dad

RACHONDA GROVER

Match Support Specialist

Favorite Childhood Toy: 

Cabbage Patch Doll

KACIE HARLEY

Area Manager - Clay County

Favorite Childhood Show: 

Wonder Woman

MARILYN HILL

Enrollment Match Specialist 

Favorite Childhood Movie: 

Wizard of Oz

CHERIE HUTTMAN

Enrollment Match Specialist

Favorite Childhood Show: 

Leave it to Beaver

LAURA LANG

Quality Assurance Specialist

Favorite Childhood Movie: 

Sister Act

CATALINA LOPEZ

Match Support Specialist

Favorite Childhood Toy: 

Shakira Barbie

STELLA NAÑES

Enrollment Match Specialist

Favorite Childhood Toy:

Speak and Spell 

MICHELLE PATRICK

Director of Quality

Assurance & Compliance

Favorite Childhood Toy: 

Rubik's Cube

DANA PORCELLI

Match Support Specialist

Favorite Childhood Movie: 

The Little Mermaid

LENA RAMSAY

Area Manager - Nassau County

Favorite Childhood Show:

Who's the Boss

TINA RICH

Match Support Specialist

Favorite Childhood Toy: 

Nintendo

KORTNEY ROBAK

Match Support Specialist

Favorite Childhood Memory: 

Daddy-Daughter Dances

JULIE SOLOMON

Chief Financial Officer 

Favorite Childhood Toy: 

Easy Bake Oven

HARLAN STALLINGS

Director of Volunteer Recruitment 

Favorite Childhood Show: 

G-Force: Guardians of Space 

ETHAN THOMAS

Project Assistant

Favorite Childhood Movie: 

The Incredibles

JACQUELYN TOLBERT

Match Support Specialist

Favorite Childhood Toy:

Alf

DAISERAE WHITE

Director of Communications & Outreach

Favorite Childhood Show: 

A Different World

OUR FOCUS...

For more than a century, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Florida has been helping change kids’ perspectives and giving them the opportunity to reach their potential. Since 1914, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is incredible potential. As the nation’s largest donor- and volunteer-supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 5 through high school graduation in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people.


We recognize, affirm, and celebrate the diverse backgrounds, lives, and experiences of all of our stakeholders, including youth, families, donors, volunteers, and staff. We ensure the opportunity for all voices and perspectives to be heard and honored. In the workplace, we foster an environment where all people can be their best selves. We affirm that every person has the opportunity to reach their full potential. We strive to realize the full potential that is within all of us by ensuring that all voices and perspectives are heard and honored.