News & Stories

Gregory Straus – Defender of Potential  Greg Straus is the a Licensed Real Estate Broker at 716 Realty Group and co-founder of Redline Rentals of Buffalo, a high performance and luxury company. Starting from a young age, Greg was instilled with a sense of community and help for others. Greg’s father took care of all the neighbors growing up. Eventually, Greg took over care for those elderly neighbors and started his first business shoveling snow. Being a product of catholic schooling, he always found himself volunteering in some way.   Greg was moved to NYC after college for the local company he worked for and while he was there, he became a mentor to a young man named Joshua from Harlem, through a company-local school…

Tiffany Lewis – Defender of Potential  Tiffany Lewis, is currently the Founder and CEO of Confident Girl Mentoring Program, Inc (CGMP). Nationally recognized as a best practice for mentoring by MENTOR, CGMP an elite 501(c)(3) non-profit mentoring organization that utilizes evidence-based interventions to improve self-efficacy in girls ages 7-19. As a strong leader in youth mentoring with a demonstrated history of advocating for youth, Tiffany provides advocacy efforts on Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Teen Dating Violence, Self-Esteem and Confidence. Tiffany holds a Masters of Social Work from the University of Michigan’s School of Social Work, a dual degree in Criminal Justice and Religious Studies, additional certifications from Harvard Graduate School of Education and is also a Licensed Esthetician certified in Clinical Oncology Esthetics.   Notably, Tiffany…

Ryan Taughrin – Defender of Potential    Ryan Taughrin is the Assistant Director of Graduate Enrollment at the University at Buffalo’s College of Arts and Sciences. As a first-generation student who was raised by a single mom, and later adopted by loving parents of his best friend, Ryan tries to live every day working to pay it forward. From mentoring prospective undergraduate and graduate students, serving as a mentor in Big Brothers Big Sisters, to volunteering across Western New York with various non-profits, Ryan’s volunteering and mentoring mantra focuses on servant leadership and listening, more than speaking, whenever possible.   Organizations Ryan has volunteered and served in leadership positions include B Team Buffalo, the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County, Erie County Youth Board,…

Lauren Lewis – Defender of Potential    Lauren, a Partner at StaffBuffalo, a local women-owned, full-service professional staffing firm, combines her background in sales, her love of working with people, and her passion for WNY.  Lauren has a love for working with people and developing strong relationships, and she brings that enthusiasm and positivity into work every day.   Lauren works to help others reach their true and full potential through coaching people to find meaningful jobs, helping to build up companies through identifying exceptional employees, and through dedicated volunteer mentor work. Lauren is actively involved with Buffalo Prep, Child & Family Services, the local colleges, Buffalo Public Schools, and her Alma Mater, Nardin Academy. Through these organizations, Lauren works with students of all ages, providing…

Announcing the 2019 Defenders of Potential Honorees Kennedy Colon Lauren Lewis  Tiffany Lewis  Gregory Straus Ryan Taughrin Get Your Tickets NOW! Celebrate this year’s incredible honorees at Mentors Who Move the City  on Thursday, May 9, from 5:30-8:30 at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens! Tickets are only $40 and include cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a swag bag and an opportunity to network and learn about local businesses. Click here to purchase your tickets! Learn more about this year’s honorees on Mentors Who Move the City Mondays beginning Monday, April 1 by visiting our website or following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.  Each week will feature one of our remarkable honorees. For more information about event sponsorship or vendor opportunities, click here or contact Ashley at agriffin@beafriend.org or (716) 873-5833,…

Join on us on Thursday, May 9th, 2019 with an evening filled with networking, shopping, food and drinks for our Mentors Who Move the City event at Salvatore’s Italian Gardens from 5:30 – 8:30 PM.  Tickets are $40 each and available now!  To purchase online click here! Big Brothers Big Sisters of Erie, Niagara and the Southern Tier (BBBS) is seeking nominations of MENTORS who are making a difference in WNY through mentoring to celebrate as “Defenders of Potential” at its Mentors Who Move the City Event.  Click here to submit your nominations, deadline for nominations is Friday, March 1, 2019.  To learn more about the event click here  

Today marks a new day for Big Brothers Big Sisters. We are reimagining our brand, from our look to our language. We are focused on an empowering message: Together, We Are Defenders of Potential. Our new brand is urgent, inclusive, and powerful. We ask people of all ages and backgrounds to step up and ignite potential within every young person. Check out our new look on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter and learn more about our reimagined brand by clicking here. Together, let’s clear a path to a child’s biggest possible future.

A BIG Thank You to our sponsors and all who attended our 5th Annual Women Who Move the City!  The funds raised at this event will help us to match more Little Sister with Big Sisters thus, creating the next generation of Women Who Move the City! Congratulations again to our 2018 Honorees: Zandra Cunningham, Emily Felmet, Jody Galvin, Raziya Hill and Alexa Zappia! Lastly, thank you to our host year after year AND this year’s honorary Women Who Move the City awardee, Janet Snyder.