Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana

What Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana does

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana (BBBS-SWLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1979 and headquartered in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Operating as a local affiliate of the national Big Brothers Big Sisters of America network, the organization delivers one-to-one youth mentoring to children and adolescents ages 6-18 across six parishes in Southwest Louisiana. In 2025, it served 403 youth, logged 6,500 volunteer hours, and maintained a waiting list of 88 youth, with reported outcomes including 94% of mentees maintaining or improving academic performance, 91% of high school graduates continuing to post-secondary education, 86% match retention, and 96% of matches reporting strong relationships.

The organization's service portfolio is organized into discrete program modules: Homework Help (academic tutoring), Bigs with Badges (law enforcement mentorship with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's Office), Big Futures (college and career readiness for older youth), and Lunch Buddy (school-based mentoring). Delivery relies on a screened volunteer mentor pool and partnerships with schools, law enforcement, and higher education (including a McNeese State University college-credit course for mentors). The technical infrastructure is conventional nonprofit stack — donor CRM, case management, and event management — with no proprietary technology or AI components.

Revenue is generated through individual donations, a five-tier corporate sponsorship program (Backbone $25K+, Lifeline $15K, Champion $10K, Advocate $5K, Supporter $2.5K), recurring fundraising events (Duck Derby, Bourbon & Bites), and an endowment-style Big Defender Fund housed at the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana. Named corporate sponsors span the regional energy value chain (Phillips 66, CITGO, Westlake Chemical, Lotte Chem, Entergy, Sempra LNG), banking (B1Bank, Investar Bank, First Horizon, Edward Jones), consumer brands (Raising Cane's), and healthcare (Healthy Blue Louisiana). The organization earned the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency in 2026 and is led by CEO Jillian Cormier, appointed January 2025.

Name

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana

Legal name

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana Inc.

Website

https://bbbsswla.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1979 that delivers one-to-one youth mentoring to children ages 6-18 across six parishes in Southwest Louisiana, funded through corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Mentoring Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (624110), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGADAD

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAJALAL

Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs

Education/K–12 / Primary & Secondary Education/K–12 Educational Support Services (Tutoring & Counseling)

SECONDARYBPAGADAB

K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

SECONDARYEDAKAMAO

Peer Support, Mentoring & Student Leadership (SEL)

Education/Special Education & Learning Support Services/Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) & Mental Health Supports (School-Based)

Keywords

• Youth mentoring services
• Nonprofit youth programs
• One-to-one mentoring
• Youth development services
• Community-based mentorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Lake Charles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: The organization raises funds through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, and event-based fundraising campaigns. The Big Defender Fund serves as an endowment vehicle for long-term sustainability.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Annual partner program with tiered sponsorship levels (Big Defender, Potential Investor, Inspire Sustainer, Little Defender, Match Maker) providing corporate funding in exchange for recognition and community engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana recruits, screens, and matches adult volunteer mentors (Bigs) with youth ages 6-18 facing adversity (Littles) to form sustained one-to-one mentoring relationships. The organization supports these matches through school-based Lunch Buddy programs, homework support, Bigs with Badges (law enforcement mentoring), and Big Futures (post-secondary readiness), and funds operations via donations, corporate sponsorships, and signature fundraising events.

Product overview

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana operates a unified youth mentoring platform centered on one-to-one relationships between adult volunteers (Bigs) and youth (Littles ages 6-18). The organization delivers its core mentoring service through multiple program modules including Homework Help & Study Buddies, Bigs with Badges, Big Futures, and the Lunch Buddy school-based program. Additional support services include a food pantry and bike donations. The organization funds operations primarily through the Big Defender Fund (a donor-advised fund with Community Foundation of SWLA) and signature events like the annual Bowl for Kids' Sake fundraiser.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• One-to-One Youth Mentoring Core mentoring program matching adult volunteer mentors (Bigs) with youth ages 6-18 facing adversity (Littles) to form sustained one-to-one friendships designed to build confidence, develop skills, and help children achieve their dreams.
• Big Defender Fund Donor-advised endowment fund managed with the Community Foundation of SWLA to ensure the long-term sustainability of BBBS SWLA youth mentoring programs, expand safety practices, support parents and guardians, and fund innovative new programs. Supports recurring donations and planned giving.
• Lunch Buddy Program School-based mentoring program in which volunteers visit a partner school during lunch periods to spend time with a matched student, providing friendship, guidance, and a consistent positive presence during the school day.

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of youth maintained or improved grades
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• CBS Lake CharlescoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBig Defender level annual partner providing community visibility and support for youth mentoring programs
• Phillips 66coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPotential Investor level partner that sponsors swim safety lessons for Littles during summer, promoting water safety and confidence
• EntergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInspire Sustainer level partner supporting youth mentoring programs in Southwest Louisiana
• Westlake Chemical CorporationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInspire Sustainer level partner; donated to support BBBS SWLA programs
• B1BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLittle Defender level annual partner supporting youth mentoring programs
• Investar BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLittle Defender level partner; donated $2,500 in 2025
• Community Foundation of SWLAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partner managing the Big Defender Fund endowment for long-term sustainability of BBBS youth mentoring programs. Donations can be made through their platform with options for recurring donations and planned giving.
• McNeese State UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partner collaborating to create a new college course, expanding reach to older youth
• Calcasieu Parish Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBigs with Badges program partnership bringing mentors from law enforcement to youth
• CITGOcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLittle Defender level annual partner
• Lotte ChemcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInspire Sustainer level annual partner
• First HorizoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerInspire Sustainer level annual partner
• Cumulus MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia sponsor providing radio advertising support
• Fox29minorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia sponsor providing broadcast coverage

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas: Texas-based BBBS affiliate operating the same national model in a different regional market. Comparable as a same-affiliate peer useful for benchmarking program scale, corporate partnership tiers, and outcome metrics outside Louisiana.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater New Orleans: Another Louisiana BBBS affiliate running the same one-to-one mentoring model for at-risk youth ages 6-18. Comparable operating model, fundraising mechanics, and outcome metrics; differs only in urban geography versus BBBS SWLA's multi-parish regional footprint.
• United Way of Southwest Louisiana: Regional nonprofit umbrella and fundraising organization in the same Southwest Louisiana service area. Comparable as a community-based nonprofit competing for the same corporate partners, donor dollars, and community visibility in the region.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Acadiana: Regional BBBS affiliate serving the Acadiana/Louisiana region under the same national model, programs (Lunch Buddy, Big Futures, Bigs with Badges), and brand. Operates in a separate Louisiana geography but uses an essentially identical delivery model and outcome measurement framework.

Direct peers

• CASA of Southwest Louisiana: Court Appointed Special Advocates organization serving abused/neglected children in the same Southwest Louisiana parishes. Comparable in target population (vulnerable youth), volunteer-driven delivery model, and reliance on court/school referrals and community fundraising.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Louisiana: Local youth development nonprofit serving the same six-parish region with similar target demographic (school-age youth) and similar funding model (donations, corporate partners, fundraising events). Direct local peer competing for the same volunteer and donor pool.

Broad incumbents

• MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership: National industry umbrella organization that sets quality standards, advocates for mentoring policy, and supports local mentoring programs. Comparable as the broader industry body governing the mentoring sector in which BBBS SWLA operates.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of America: National umbrella for the Boys & Girls Club network — the closest broad-scale peer to BBBS in the youth development nonprofit space. Comparable in mission (youth facing adversity), outcome measurement practices, and corporate partnership model, though delivered through clubhouse rather than one-to-one mentoring.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America: National umbrella organization that licenses and supports all local BBBS affiliates including BBBS SWLA. Comparable as the parent network providing program standards, brand, and infrastructure; not a direct competitor but the defining industry incumbent.

Others

• VolunteerMatch: Online platform that connects volunteers with nonprofit opportunities, including mentoring roles. Comparable as an enabling/adjacent service that competes for the same adult volunteer audience and supports the broader volunteer-recruitment ecosystem BBBS SWLA depends on.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/big-brothers-big-sisters-of-southwest-louisiana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana