ABOUT US
Changing Perspectives Changing Lives
Big Brothers Big Sisters helps children realize their potential and build their futures. We nurture children and strengthen communities. And we couldn’t do any of it without you. For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. 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 7 through 18, in communities across the country. We develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people. Since 1972, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been providing mentors (Bigs) for children (Littles) in this region. Today, we serve more than 1,500 children in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and York Counties, through traditional community- and school-based mentoring and innovative specialty programs that connect caring adults with local children in meaningful one-to-one relationships. |
OUR HISTORY
Big Brothers Big Sisters of America Founded in 1904
For more than a century, Big Brothers Big Sisters has been helping change kids’ perspectives and giving them the opportunity to reach their potential. And we have more than a century of volunteers, donors, and advocates just like you to thank. It all started in 1904, when a young New York City court clerk named Ernest Coulter was seeing more and more boys come through his courtroom. He recognized that caring adults could help many of these kids stay out of trouble, and he set out to find volunteers. That marked the beginning of the Big Brothers movement. More than 100 years later, Big Brothers Big Sisters remains true to our founders’ vision of bringing caring role models into the lives of children. And, today, Big Brothers Big Sisters currently operates in all 50 states—and in 12 countries around the world.
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Helping Children Achieve Success Since 1972
Founded in 1972, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. We currently serve more than 1,500 children each year in Mecklenburg, Cabarrus and York counties. By partnering with parents/guardians, volunteers, and others in the community, we are accoutnable for each child in our program achieving:
Big Brothers Big Sisters effectively improves the lives of youth and deeply engages communities through involvement with families, mentors, community funders, schools and other partners. Our proven methodology for serving children through one-to-one mentoring relationships produces measurable positive outcomes in the areas of:
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BigBrotherBigSisters of Central Carolinas
AWARDS & RECOGNITION





NEWS

Mental Health
May is National Mental Health Month

Alcohol Awareness
Underage drinking is a serious issue in our country, and even the best of kids can succumb to peer pressure…

March is National Nutrition Month
Food helps us grow, maintain vital life processes in our bodies, and gives us energy to power through our day.
STAFF

Donna Y. Dunlap
Chief Executive Officer
Email | 704.910.1301 x1007
Donna has been with Big Brothers Big Sisters since February of 2016. She has a wealth of business experience from a highly successful 34-year career, serving in leadership roles with XEROX and Microsoft. She has served on several local, non-profit boards: The Fletcher School/The Rankin Institute, YWCA Central Carolinas, Girl Scouts Hornet’s Nest Council and the Levine Museum. Donna is a graduate of Leadership Charlotte.
Donna, the daughter of educators, has a family legacy with Big Brothers Big Sisters; her mother was a Big Sister and her father was actively engaged in the community assisting children facing adversity. She serves as a Big Sister herself and has a passion for improving the lives of children in the Central Carolinas.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Leading Us in the Right Direction
The Board of Directors at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas provides financial and strategic support and guidance to further the organization’s mission and vision. The board is a diverse, compassionate and dedicated group of individuals willing to do whatever it takes to help change children’s lives for the better, forever. Many board members currently volunteer or have previously volunteered as Bigs.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas
2020 – 2021 Board of Directors
Donna Julian, Chair
Hornets Sports & Entertainment
Rich Jones, Treasurer
The Zabel Companies
Ruth Krystopolski, Vice Chair
Atrium Health
Ghazale Johnston, Secretary
Daymaker
Kelly Adkisson
Slalom
Molly Aiken
Cabarrus Leadership Council / Adobe
Jennifer Flynn
Ally Finacial
Rodney Gaddy
Retired – Duke/Nonprofit CEO
Karyn Godsman
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
Herb Grey
Life Enhancement Services, LLC
Ben Guffey
Bank of America
Robert E. Hoffman
Atrium Health
Rick Herrera
Progreso Hispano Media Group
Yolanda Johnson
SB&J Enterprises, Inc.
Cheslie Kryst
Sabbatical / Miss USA 2019
Carolyn Loudenslager
Sabbatical / RV
Gail A. McHugh
Forge Communications
Desiree Miller
Nurse / Business Owner
Kenneth Oglesby
Fifth Third Bank
Eugene Parker
Premier Healthcare Solutions, Inc.
Katherine Ring
LPL Financial LLC
Rochelle Rivas
Conmmunity Volunteer
Douglas M. Smith
Local First Bank
Brent Sparks
PayPal
Bernie Washington
Novant Health