Surrey Big Brothers paused operations in 2022, and four years later, the organization needs 13 volunteers to get things going again.
Last year, we learned that there was a critical need for Big Brothers in Surrey, as at that point, the waitlist had grown quite large.
“2026 marks four years since the Big Brothers Community program closed to new families in Surrey but, this year, the story is not about closure, it’s about progress,” said Rose Higgins, director of Programs and Operations at Big Brothers of Greater Vancouver.
Surrey Big Brothers was forced to pause in April 2022 due to a lack of volunteers and a large waitlist of 38 children. While that number has now been reduced, the demand is still great.
There are 13 children on the waitlist in Surrey as of mid-March this year. The only city with more kids on the waitlist is Vancouver, which has over 30.
“Over the past four years, we’ve worked hard to rebuild volunteer momentum and eliminate our waitlist in the city. Now, we’re seeing the results. With 13 more volunteers in Surrey, we could open up so many opportunities for children and families who have been waiting so long to meet their Big Brother,” said Navkiran Brar, BBGV community program manager.
If you’re interested in volunteering or learning more about what volunteering would entail, the Surrey chapter is offering several in-person and virtual information sessions. The in-person sessions will be held in the Strawberry Hill and Newton areas.
Volunteers, parents and guardians were surveyed about the impact of mentorship, which revealed some positive results, including the fact that 100 per cent of mentees rated their friendship with their mentor as positive. Ninety-seven per cent also saw a positive impact on self-esteem. Eighty-eight per cent saw overall improvement in mental health and wellness.
In 2025, 959 children were served through Big Brothers programs.