Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri Celebrates 25 Years of Mentorship in Cape Girardeau
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., September 4, 2025 — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri (BBBSEMO) is celebrating 25 years of life-changing mentorship in Cape Girardeau, honoring more than two decades of connecting youth with caring mentors, strengthening school partnerships, and building community support across Southeast Missouri.
From its humble beginnings to becoming a trusted nonprofit partner, the Cape Girardeau office has grown steadily while withstanding societal shifts, staying true to its mission of helping young people build meaningful and stable lives through mentorship.
“For 25 years, BBBSEMO has walked alongside families, volunteers, and schools in Cape Girardeau to ensure young people have the relationships and resources they need to thrive,” said Ashley Seiler, Chief Partnership Officer at BBBSEMO. “We’re celebrating more than an anniversary — we’re honoring the power of mentorship and the incredible community that makes this work possible.”
The Cape Girardeau team serves youth through its signature one-to-one mentoring program, connecting children with caring adult volunteers—“Big Brothers” and “Big Sisters.” Additionally, the agency supports youth via group mentoring cohorts, in-school and professionally trained mentors, and the ABCToday initiative, which collaborates with schools in the Cape Girardeau Public School District to bolster academic and social-emotional outcomes. Within the past three years, BBBSEMO’s impact Cape Girardeau has led to a graduated expansion into Sikeston, serving the region through our local office.
2024 Impact Highlights from BBBSEMO:
• BBBSEMO served more than 9,000 individuals throughout the Eastern Missouri service region
• 97% of youth graduated high school or attained high school completion equivalency
• 97% of youth avoided life’s riskiest behaviors, such as early school dropout or negative involvement with the juvenile justice system
• 93% of BBBSEMO alumni (ages 18-25) enrolled in a college or university, enlisted in the military, or attained employment
“The outcomes we have achieved through great partnerships are concrete examples of transformative impact on individuals and communities: thousands of lives changed, risk behaviors prevented, and positive relationships sustained,” said Seiler.
To commemorate this milestone, BBBSEMO will host an anniversary celebration in partnership with the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce and the Jackson Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, September 11, 2025, at 3:00 PM in the Lobby of the Marquette Tower. The event will feature a ribbon-cutting ceremony, brief remarks from community stakeholders, and opportunities to meet the Cape Girardeau agency team.
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri (BBBSEMO)
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri (BBBSEMO), located at 501 N. Grand Blvd in St. Louis, has served youth and the community since 1914. Through BBBSEMO’s 600 active matches in its one-to-one mentoring program and signature one-to-many efforts, youth outcomes are improved. BBBSEMO’s initiatives encompass support for education and workforce development; these include ABCToday (in 16 schools, K-12), Big Futures (young people ages 18-25), and its newest initiatives in Group Mentoring for youth in middle school and Upward Mentoring. The agency's comprehensive work serves more than 9,000 people, including children, families, and volunteers in St. Louis City and County, St. Charles and Jefferson Counties, and Cape Girardeau and Scott Counties. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri (BBBSEMO) is a proud member of the United Way. Learn more at www.bbbsemo.org.
Media Contact
Quinton Clay
Vice President, Marketing & Communications
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri
qclay@bbbsemo.org | (314) 615-1048