JBBBS Blog

Inspirational Stories from JBBBS Volunteers, Participants & Staff

Recent Posts

From Agganis to Fenway: A Friendship to Cheer For

April 13, 2023

By Jillian Martin In May of 2016, I finished my Master of Social Work and started working full time. Hours once spent on writing papers and presenting on cases were now free. My friend, Sara, had invited me to a Young Professionals event hosted by Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters at Lucky Strike Fenway, and…

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A Magical Experience

April 4, 2023

by Paul Crocetti I can’t believe I’ve been volunteering in the MAGIC (Monthly Activity Group In the Community) program for seven years. It doesn’t feel like that long ago that I met my match, Scott, at the Cambridge Side Galleria as we waited to depart on a boat ride on the Charles River. I have…

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Having Fun and Giving Back in the MAGIC Program

March 16, 2023

by Adam Feinstein In May 2019, my fiancé (now wife) signed us up to volunteer at an event, Yom Sport. Yom Sport is an annual event that provides athletes with disabilities in the Greater Boston area an opportunity to come together and participate in a variety of team sporting events. During Yom Sport, Tania Gray,…

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A Special Match

March 2, 2023

by Sophie Katzman Though it has been some 6+ years since the first meeting with my Little, I can still feel the excitement of our very first outing. I remember it took a few months to find me a match. At the time, I hadn’t been sure why the match process was so lengthy, but…

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Full Circle Moment – The Magic of Camp

February 13, 2023

by Lauren Korn Camp is magical. Camp is important. Camp is transformative. These are all taglines we have used at JBBBS over the years to promote our camp scholarship program – but I believe they are all true! Growing up in New York, during the school year I was an artsy intellectual kid. I spent…

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Baked to Perfection – A Sweet Friendship

January 24, 2023

by McKenzie Kramer Do you have a favorite memory with your match? My favorite memory with Theresa was the time we visited the Yankee Candle Village for her birthday. Our mini-girls trip included a full day of activities: a leisurely drive, ice cream, browsing, and sniffing (seemingly) every single candle there! We even got to…

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How Choosing to Connect Has Made All the Difference

January 4, 2023

by Susan Yorks I don’t think I will ever forget a particular evening in the summer of 2018 when I attended a CJP event on the North Shore called Choose to Connect. One of my dearest friends introduced me to Tania Gray, the Director of Community Engagement and Outreach for Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters…

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One Year “Friendiversary”: 1 year down, looking forward to many more

December 19, 2022

by Christine Ngigi Christine and her Friend Millie recently celebrated their 1-year anniversary of being matched in JBBBS’ Friend 2 Friend program. Christine took some time to answer JBBBS’ questions in a recent interview. Do you have a favorite memory with your match? Apart from the day we first met in person, I must say…

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A Perfect Match

November 9, 2022

by Harris Wallack Back in 2020 I was approached by Tania Gray and asked if I wanted to volunteer as a Big. Tania is the Director of Community Engagement and Outreach for JBBBS, but also is the mother of a classmate of mine from high school. My initial reaction to this opportunity was hesitation. I…

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Meet Judy Shankman, JBBBS’ Incoming Board Chair

November 8, 2022

by Judy Shankman What excited you to take on this leadership role for JBBBS? I am excited to take on this role because I feel that I really understand and appreciate the value of the organization. I have been involved with JBBBS for almost 20 years and my excitement for the work we do has never…

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