San Diego County is home to the largest concentration of military activity in the world. Therefore, in an effort to serve this population more effectively, Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County designed the Operation Bigs program, a first of its kind program, which provides mentors to children of military families, including active duty, veteran and Gold Star families.
In 2004, following widespread deployments to the Middle East, military spouses from Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base called out for support. Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County responded by establishing a sustainable and scalable program at the 5 elementary schools on base, with funding from Jack in the Box, military and political support, media partnerships, a dedicated staff coordinator, and buy-in and advocacy from the principals at the elementary schools. Each of these components were critical in laying the groundwork needed to develop a strategic and measurable path to success.
Operation Bigs supports families presented with challenges such as frequent relocation, school transitions, separation from extended family, increased responsibility coupled with a sense of loss when a parent deploys, as well as the physical and psychological stress faced when parents return from war.
Since the launch on base at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base, the program spread across San Diego to serve youth through both site-based and community mentoring programs, however has persisted post-pandemic solely in the Community Mentoring Program. To date, the program has served more than 3,000 Navy and Marine Corps children and it inspired the expansion to over 30 Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliates across the country.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County’s Operation Bigs (OB) program has been recognized as one of the most successful military mentoring programs in the country.
Former First Lady, Michelle Obama came to visit our Operation Bigs program in 2010 and when she visited we were honored by her remarks to the Camp Pendleton Community:
“A wonderful program that we were proud to help celebrate at the White House during National Mentoring Month — that was Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego and their ‘Operation Bigs,’ which provides mentors to so many great military kids here at Pendleton.
“I have changed drastically as a person, both physically and mentally in the most positive ways possible, with Tim playing a large part in that for many years of my childhood.” – Little Brother, Christofer
