Plymouth Resident Caitlin McNee Empowers Youth for 20+ Years

Since its founding in 1949, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM) has grown from an organization serving 10 fatherless boys in Boston into the largest one-to-one youth mentoring agency in New England. BBBSEM stands at its highest point today, as the second largest Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate in the country, behind only the nonprofit covering the entire state of Texas. For the past 20 years, the agency’s mentoring match making success is largely due to Plymouth resident Caitlin McNee.

During her tenure, McNee has worked in all facets of the agency’s service delivery, starting as a case manager, and working her way up to her most recent promotion this year, VP of Program Services. In her current position, she oversees the enrollment and match support experience for all youth and families and adult volunteers for the state’s leading one-to-one youth mentoring organization. McNee is responsible for a team of over 40 staff who run 33 school-based programs and seven college campus programs in addition to the traditional community-based program. Her team is the engine that creates and sustains BBBSEM’s mentoring family.

“I am inspired daily by the people who want to get involved with the Big Brothers Big Sisters mission – whether that is a parent who recognizes that their child could benefit from the support of a mentor, a volunteer who chooses to share their time and perspective with a child, or our amazing team working behind the scenes to make the magic happen,” says McNee.

With nearly two decades at the agency, McNee is a huge reason why the agency continues to expand and serve more families. In 2023, she helped match more than 1,000 new Bigs and Littles, increasing the agency’s reach to support families back to pre-pandemic levels. Since she started in 2004, she has helped create over 17,500 transformative mentoring relationships.

While interviewing youth, families, and adult volunteers, McNee hears the vulnerabilities and challenges that many face daily. She unites mentors and mentees with shared and unique experiences, cultures, languages, and geographies. Their stories inform BBBSEM’s JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) road map and programming evolution to ensure the agency is meeting constituents where they are and is as diverse as the communities served. In all she does, she brings the perspective of wanting to learn and understand the root of people’s differences and how interpersonal relationships connect us.

“Our matches are incredible,” says McNee. “I am constantly learning from our Bigs and Littles. As an organization we are dedicated to innovating and creating programs that will empower youth to meet their greatest potential, and to do that you have to listen to youth themselves.”

Anyone can become a Big as the agency welcomes youth and adults of all races, ethnicities, cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, and physical abilities. Volunteers must be 18 years old or older and be able to commit a few hours a few times a month for at least a year and have a passion for positively impacting a young person’s life.

In its 76 years, BBBSEM has supported more than 25,000 youth. For more information, to become a volunteer or to register their children for the nonprofit’s one-to-one mentoring programs, your readers can visit: www.emassbigs.org.