Featured Photo: Community Program volunteer Julian Sanchez and his mentee Noah—one of the 2026 Inland Empire Bigs & Littles of the Year—attend the BBBS IE Mentorship Awards on April 30.
We’re honored to see the power of mentorship recognized by the Raincross Gazette as they spotlight the incredible volunteers helping shape brighter futures across the Inland Empire. Stories like these reflect the heart of what mentorship is all about—showing up consistently, building trust, and creating life-changing connections that empower young people to reach their full potential.
At Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Empire, our mentors go above and beyond every day to support youth through encouragement, guidance, and meaningful relationships. We’re proud to celebrate the volunteers, partners, and young people who make this mission possible and grateful to the Raincross Gazette for highlighting the impact mentorship is making in our community.
Read an excerpt from the Raincross Gazette article below.
In the News
Originally published by the Raincross Gazette on May 07, 2026
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire honored six mentors at its 2026 Inland Empire Mentor of the Year Awards, held April 30 at Riverside City Hall’s Grier Pavilion. Among the honorees was a Riverside-based mentor-mentee pair, Julian Sanchez and his Little Brother Noah, recognized through the agency’s Community-Based program.
The event brought together community leaders, educators, families and local partners to recognize volunteers from the agency’s Community-Based, Workplace Mentoring and High School Bigs programs. One male and one female match were honored from each of the three programs.
David Ambroz, a nationally recognized child welfare advocate, bestselling author and Amazon executive, delivered the keynote address. Ambroz, who grew up homeless and in foster care, spoke to the role a single consistent adult can play in a child’s life and tied his personal story to the broader need for mentors as young people navigate instability.
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