Little Big Chats: The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee Podcast

Years ago, when they matched with their Little Brother DayDay, Charles and Sarah were taken aback by how shy he was. Now a bombastic high schooler, it suffices to say that DayDay has really come out of his shell. But with the love and support of mentors like Charles and Sarah, and dozens of horizon-expanding experiences along the way, it's no surprise that this young man has found his voice. And t...

Starting high school after the Covid pandemic was enough to make Briya cry. For a self-proclaimed introvert, all the new people and situations just seemed so overwhelming. But when she matched with Maddie through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee's Mentor 2.0 program, that all began to change. In her big sister, Briya found a new source of confidence and inspiration. She chanced upon an...

Fellas, we've gotta have a hard talk. Because, frankly, not enough men are stepping up to the plate to volunteer as mentors with Big Brother Big Sisters. And at BBBS of Metro Milwaukee, there are hundreds of young men just sitting on the waiting list. Maybe you're scared you don't have what it takes, maybe you're afraid of the time commitment, maybe you just don't think you can make a difference....

If you call Little Sister Tahlia a multi-sport athlete, she WILL correct you. She's also an artist, and an entrepreneur, and a high honor roll student, and a member of various clubs and student orgs. And, when she joined BBBS of Metro Milwaukee's Mentor 2.0 program, she hoped she was getting another life-shaping experience. She was not disappointed. As a match with her Big Sister Lauren, these two...

When he took the reins as BBBS of Metro Milwaukee's new CEO earlier this summer, Neil Willenson had one goal at the top of his list: Make the life-changing mentoring relationships that BBBS facilitates available to more kids in the Milwaukee area. From the caring adult mentors who shaped his own upbringing to his personal experience as a Big Brother, his unique background as a founder of other cha...

Sure, Big Sister Natalie has been there for her Little Sister Bre. In seven years together, Bre has changed schools several times, including the big step up to middle school, and her family has weathered some disruptive events as well. But just as much as Natalie supports Bre, Bre is there for Natalie, too. Because in that time, Natalie got married, added a dog to her family, and then became a Mom...

Having begun their mentoring relationship during the Covid pandemic, Brian and Alfredo developed a deep friendship long before they actually met one another face-to-face. But when you speak with them now, it's clear why the Mentor 2.0 program is such an asset. And they have the added distinction of being selected as 2023's Mentor 2.0 Match of the Year, to boot. Both Brian and Alfredo share an endu...

When you hear how Heidi and Aniyah gel together as a match, it will quickly become clear why they're BBBS of Metro Milwaukee's 2023 Community-Based Match of the Year! As an only child at the age of 11, Aniyah was so excited to meet her big sister for the first time. And now that high school graduation is upon her, she'll tackle her next adventures with the care and support of someone who's had her...

In episode 14 of Little Big Chats, we meet Chris and Austin, a dynamic pair who are just celebrating seven months together as a match. But while they may be relatively new to being Big Brother / Little Brother, you can tell that these two already have tons in common, and have made enough memories to last a lifetime. Whether it's supporting each other in the pursuit of their interests, like acting...

In episode 13 of Little Big Chats, we meet Dan and Torrance, a match who have been together for more than six years and love sports. Together, they enjoy playing basketball. They enjoy watching basketball. They enjoy going to basketball games. And they especially love DEBATING the finer points of basketball history. But after six years together, their relationship goes so much deeper than that, to...

In episode 12 of Little Big Chats, we meet Suzanne and Lexi, a six-year match that is going strong based on their shared love of creativity, exploration and strong opinions. Suzanne works in the film industry, and Lexi is a freshman and cheerleader at Ronald Regan High School in Milwaukee. And, while they're both opinionated, they seldom end up arguing with one another. Instead, they've bonded ove...

In episode 11 of Little Big Chats, we meet Valerie and Lilly, a match that has been together for 10 years. Valerie (Big Sister) is a lab manager at UW-Milwaukee, and Lilly is a 19-year-old freshman studying nursing at Alverno College. The two have been together since their initial match when Lilly was 9, and have had fun learning and growing together. Having been involved in each other's lives for...

In episode 10 of Little Big Chats, we meet Megan, Tyler and Josiah, a Couples Match that has been together for more than a year. Couples matches are a small percentage of BBBS volunteers, but a great option for spouses or partners who are looking to volunteer together for a cause that has meaning and makes a difference. Megan (Big Sister) was a school-based mentor before deciding to become a coupl...

In episode 9 of Little Big Chats, we meet Anna, Angel and Chase, a Couples Match that has been together for five years already. Couples matches are a small percentage of BBBS volunteers, but a great option for spouses or partners who are looking to volunteer together for a cause that has meaning and makes a difference. Anna (Big Sister) and Angel (Big Brother) are a married couple from the Milwauk...

In episode 8 of Little Big Chats, we meet a little/big sister pair who have worked together to grow academically: 2022's School-Based Match of the Year Morgan, a 7th grader at MacDowell Montessori, and her big sister Laura, a retired MPS teacher, meet for an hour each week to both work through Morgan's classwork, and to have some fun. The BBBS program has given Laura an opportunity to help Morgan...

In episode 7 of Little Big Chats, we meet a little/big sister pair who have a lot in common: chiefly, a strong sense of adventure. Janina, a 7th grader from Waukesha, and her big sister Taylor are constantly learning—both from one another and the adventures they embark on with Big Brothers Big Sisters. From learning to ski, to baking, to appearing on this podcast, the program has given Janina and...

In episode 6 of Little Big Chats, we meet a Little Sister-Big Sister pair who were only matched a year ago. But while Alyssa and Jonaya are still getting to know each other in a lot of ways, they're already best friends in all the ways that count, and it's clear to everyone that they are a perfect match. Together, they've spent the last year making the most of Big Brothers Big Sisters' REACH event...

In episode 5 of Little Big Chats, we meet a graduating high school senior who is pursuing a career as a pharmacist, inspired by her big sister's own successful career in medicine. Prapti and Ryleigh are participants in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee's Mentor 2.0 program, and Ryleigh describes their relationship as "a lock with no key... an unbreakable bond" that she can count on at al...

In Episode 4 of Little Big Chats, we talk to Yulia and Charisma, a match who can't imagine life without one another in spite of the fact that Charisma admits she wasn't really into having a Big Sister at first. But as a pair of introverts, they quickly bonded while having adventures and exploring the city, trying new beverages at coffee shops and playing different board games. Charisma loves trips...

In episode 3 of Little Big Chats, we talk to Anton and Esayas, who recently matched to one another but have already become fast friends. From the get-go, it's clear that these two love to compete with one another, whether it's basketball, bottle-flipping or anything else. But Esayas tells us that his big brother has also inspired him to think about the future, and to approach everything in life wi...

In episode 2 of Little Big Chats, we talk to Keith and KJ, a big brother / little brother match who have been together for more than six years. They share with us some important lessons about keeping an open mind, and detail some of the adventures that have prompted growth, discovery and opportunities for bonding.

In the first episode of Little Big Chats, we learn more about BBBS of Metro Milwaukee from CEO Amy Chionchio. She explains why caring adult mentors are needed more than ever, how mentoring has evolved during the Covid era, and the lessons she's learned during 15 years as CEO.

At Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee, we create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. And here on the Little Big Chats Podcast, we’ll be highlighting a new match every month so you can learn from their inspiring stories of friendship and growth. BBBS supports hundreds of matches in the Milwaukee area, and we think you’ll enjoy hearing...