We are here to start something
Our HistoryIn February 1963, Hawaii Judge Gerald R. Corbett summoned a group of civic-minded gentlemen to his chambers at Juvenile court. The purpose of this gathering was to address a common concern over the rise in cases of "fatherless boys" involved in juvenile delinquency, truancy, and public disturbances. The solution was to establish an organization on Oahu where qualified and dedicated role models could extend themselves to youth in need of guidance and support through one-to-one friendships. Judge Corbett believed that individualized guidance from role models would inspire troubled youth to consciously engage in positive over negative behavior. As a result, Big Brothers of Hawaii was officially incorporated in March 1963. Funds were then raised to support the program, whereby basic operating policies were established and the recruitment of qualified male volunteers who were willing to serve as "Big Brothers" to boys, or "Littles" in need of friendship commenced. On October 27, 1964, the first Big Brother-Little Brother match was made between Henry Sumida, an energetic male volunteer, and 10 year-old Dennis Brown. Henry would continue serving the community as a Big Brother for over twenty years before serving on the Board of Directors. Dennis pursued a career in social services and began to serve as President/CEO in 1998, nineteen years after Big Brothers of Hawaii and Hawaii Big Sisters merged to become Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu, Inc. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Honolulu (BBBSH) has one central office and offers a unified program to serve the needs of economically disadvantaged children from single-parent families in Oahu who are considered "at-risk" by Hawaii Department of Education standards. BBBSH is a member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, established in 1904, and is one of more than 500 Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates nationwide. BBBSH provides services to clientele free of charge to ensure equal accessibility for single-parent families in need. All volunteer mentors are screened prior to becoming Bigs for the safety of children and youth being served. Today, BBBSH serves more than 800 children, youth, and families each year through an expanded range of mentoring programs that include Community Based, School-Based, and Site-Based Plus mentoring programs designed to fit the unique needs and aspirations of program participants. Here is a look at our history, from the start:
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