Big Brothers Big Sisters celebrates opening of downtown Mentoring Center

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester celebrated the grand opening of its Mentoring Center this week in downtown Rochester on South Washington Street.  

Local elected leaders – including city Mayor Malik Evans and Monroe County Executive Adam Bello – attended the event.  

This is the first time the nonprofit has had a place dedicated for Bigs and Littles to gather, participate in organized activities and spend quality time together with their match. 

The 2,400-square-foot space will have drop-in hours, as well as organized activities and workshops, such as financial literacy lessons, cooking classes with Pauly Guglielmo from Guglielmo’s Sauce, interview workshops and workforce development training with Wegmans, trainings for mentors and family support classes.  

The Mentoring Center includes a full-service kitchen where Bigs and Littles can prepare meals and snacks and cook with provided recipes, a movie theater-style popcorn maker and cotton candy machine, a game room with an air hockey table and board games and a quiet place for homework and tutoring.  

The Louis S. & Molly B. Wolk Foundation provided Big Brothers Big Sisters with a grant to ensure the Mentorship Center would be outfitted with furniture that best supports the organization’s needs.

The center will also give participants and their families an opportunity to use its Family Resource Room, which will provide school supplies, personal items, food, winter coats and clothing. A full-time family support specialist will be hired to help fulfill the Littles’ and their families’ needs beyond mentoring relationships. 

“Our Mentoring Center will offer a special place dedicated to helping our Bigs and Littles foster and grow their connections by offering a safe place to meet and engage in activities either individually or with other Bigs and Littles while ensuring they continue to have free, enriching experiences together,” said Lisa Mattoon, the organization’s CEO. “We are opening the doors to enhance Bigs’ and Littles’ experiences and to create a place where they belong within our community.” 

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