Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri

06/17/2026

25 years in Cape Girardeau—and we’re just getting started! 🎉
Shoutout to Saint Francis Healthcare System for helping make this milestone possible 💛
Because of amazing partners like you, we’re impacting lives every day: ✨ 260+ mentees
✨ 4,000+ youth served through ABC Today
✨ Thousands of families reached
We’re only 7 days away from the Cape Catfish game on June 24! ⚾
Come hang with us, meet the team, and learn how you can make a difference.
🎟️ Grab your tickets today! www.capecatfish.com/tickets
CommunityImpact

06/17/2026

🎉 Join Us in Celebrating Ashley Seiler ( Ashley Beggs Seiler )! 🎉
BBBS of Eastern MO proudly congratulates Ashley Seiler, recipient of the Big Brothers Big Sisters 2025 Margaret Slack Award for Professional Development!
Ashley, our Chief Partnership Officer, has dedicated more than 20 years of service to our agency—making an extraordinary impact along the way. Her leadership has fueled significant growth across the Cape Girardeau region and helped shape the vision of transformative programs like ABCToday, Group Mentoring, and Upward Mentoring.
Beyond her professional leadership, Ashley’s heart for mentorship shines through as a three-time Big Sister, continually giving above and beyond the scope of her role to uplift and inspire others.
This prestigious award is a testament to her passion, innovation, and unwavering commitment to our mission.
👏🏾👏🏽👏 Please join us in celebrating Ashley on this incredible career achievement! 👏🏽👏👏🏾

06/16/2026

We’re starting the week with BIG news from Atlanta! 🎉

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri is proud to join more than 230 agencies from across the country at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America National Conference.

And we’re honored to share that BBBSEMO has received the Platinum Award—recognizing us as one of only 12 top-performing agencies in the nation for excellence in key success metrics and measurable impact.

This recognition belongs to our entire community. 💚

To the young people and families who trust us, the Bigs who show up with consistency and care, our partners who invest in possibility, and our dedicated team working every day to advance this mission—thank you.

This week, we’re gathering with leaders from across the country to cast vision, exchange ideas, sharpen our work, and continue building a stronger future through mentorship.

For more than 112 years, this movement has proven what’s possible when people choose to stand together.

We are stronger together. We are building brighter futures together. We are .

Stay tuned for more from !

06/16/2026

What a moment! 🏈🎉

Congratulations to our President & CEO, Kristen Heine Slaughter, on being recognized as a Hero of the Game at the St. Louis Battlehawks game!

This recognition reflects what so many across our community already know—Kristen leads with purpose, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to creating pathways of opportunity for young people and families throughout Eastern Missouri.

Making the moment even more special, Kristen’s Little Sister and her family were able to join her on the field and celebrate alongside her—a powerful reminder that mentorship is built through real relationships, shared experiences, and moments that last a lifetime.

We are grateful for partners who stand alongside us in this work and for a community that believes in the power of showing up for one another.

Congratulations, Kristen! Thank you for your leadership, your heart, and your daily commitment to defending the potential of every young person. ❤️

06/15/2026

A microphone. A vision. A little capital. A BIG future. 🚀

Our Big Futures Shark Tank proved what happens when young adults are given the opportunity to dream, prepare, and take action.

Six entrepreneurs stepped up, shared their ideas, and pitched their plans to our Sharks. We were inspired by their creativity, confidence, and vision for what comes next.

Congratulations to our winners! 👏

🏆 1st Place | Melanie Sanders-Webb — $400
Growing her pastry & baking business with goals of expanding production, adding an edible printer, and launching online ordering. (And yes… the chocolate gooey butter cookies were a hit! 🍪)

🥈 2nd Place | Aries Scruggs — $250
Building an investment & credit repair company focused on helping clients create stronger financial futures.

🥉 3rd Place | Dontaysia Owens — $150
Launching a mobile slime cart experience to bring creativity, fun, and unforgettable memories to kids’ celebrations.

Big Futures is about more than preparing for what’s next—it’s about helping young adults see what’s possible.

The ideas are theirs. The future is theirs. We’re honored to be part of the journey. 💚

Drop a 👏 👏🏾 to help us celebrate these young entrepreneurs!

06/15/2026

What happens when young adults are given a microphone, mentorship, encouragement, and a little capital?

Ideas become action. Confidence grows. Futures get bigger.

Congratulations to the winners of our Big Futures Shark Tank! 🎉

🏆 1st Place | Melanie Sanders-Webb — $400
Melanie shared her vision to continue growing her pastry and baking company. She presented her production goals, a sample menu, plans to invest in an edible printer, and her goal of launching a website for online ordering. She even brought samples of her famous chocolate gooey butter cookies—and they did not disappoint!

🥈 2nd Place | Aries Scruggs — $250
Aries pitched his investment and credit repair company, walking judges through his business plan, his approach to working with clients, and the outcomes he is helping people achieve as they build stronger financial futures.

🥉 3rd Place | Dontaysia Owens — $150
Dontaysia introduced her idea for a mobile slime cart experience for children’s birthdays and celebrations. As a mom, she saw an opportunity to create something fun, fresh, and convenient for families—and shared how this investment will help bring that vision to life.

Through Big Futures, we are proud to walk alongside young adults as they build skills, pursue goals, and turn possibilities into reality.

Help us celebrate these entrepreneurs and everything they’re building next! 👏

06/11/2026

What happens when mentorship, partnership, and community come together? 💥 We saw it in action at our 2026 Game Changer Clinic hosted by Whiftield School (Whitfield School ).
Our Littles came together for an unforgettable afternoon full of connection, laughter, and fun. From an exciting skills clinic led by Mizzou Mizzou Hoops 🏀 to an amazing session with Lindenwood University’s Cheer (LU Cheer ) team 📣—our Littles were all smiles, and our Bigs were right there with them every step of the way.
Nearly 100 youth were impacted in just one day—but the need is so much greater. Each year, Big Brothers Big Sisters serves nearly 9,000 young people across our region.
Here’s why this work matters: 💔 74% of youth report feelings of persistent sadness or hopelessness
💙 91% of mentored youth report a strong sense of belonging
And on Wednesday, we saw that 91% come to life. ✨
Huge thank you to Coach Dennis Gates ( Dennis Gates ), Mizzou , and Whitfield School who made this day possible!
➡️➡️➡️Want to help us keep this momentum going? Send us a message or reach out to learn how you can partner with us.
YouthMentorship

06/11/2026

A BIG thank you to our media partners, including KSDK News and other outlets, for helping shine a spotlight on yesterday’s Game Changers Clinic at Whitfield School. 💚

The real story is our young people—their smiles, their experiences, their potential, and the incredible things that happen when a community comes together around them.

We are grateful for every partner, volunteer, mentor, and Game Changer who helped make yesterday such a special moment. Thank you for helping us amplify stories of friendship, opportunity, and impact across our region.

And trust us… we’re just getting started. 👀

We captured so many unforgettable moments, and we can’t wait to share more photos, videos, and stories from an amazing day.

Stay tuned. ✨

Coach Dennis Gates brought his squad to Whitfield High School for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri. He commented on the SLU-Mizzou game this season.

06/06/2026

Last night was special. 💙❤️

Our youth and families took over Busch Stadium for an unforgettable evening of connection, celebration, and BIG moments—made possible through the incredible partnership and support of Edward Jones and the St. Louis Cardinals.

For many, it was more than a baseball game. It was food, fun, laughter, new experiences, autographs with Matt Adams, and memories that will last a lifetime.

One of the biggest highlights of the night came when two of our amazing young people stepped onto the field and threw out the first pitch—with their families, mentors, and the entire crowd cheering them on. ⚾️✨

Moments like these remind us why relationships, access, and community partnerships matter. When organizations come together around young people, we don’t just create events—we create experiences that help young people see themselves, their possibilities, and the community standing behind them.

Thank you to Edward Jones and the St. Louis Cardinals for helping make priceless memories possible for BBBSEMO youth and families.

These are the moments they’ll never forget. 💙

06/02/2026

Our Big Futures team is blazing into the summer with momentum and purpose!

Last week kicked off with a powerful networking event featuring BBBSEMO’s Vice President of Human Resources, who shared valuable strategies for successfully navigating professional networking environments. Participants crafted and practiced their own unique elevator pitches, receiving insightful feedback from staff and community partners.
Each young adult also had the opportunity to receive a professional headshot—leaving not only with a strong visual brand, but with the confidence to step boldly into professional spaces.

The week concluded on Saturday with an impactful Employment Bootcamp. Sessions focused on workplace communication, job application and retention strategies, as well as interview preparation and hands-on practice.

Big Futures continues to serve as a dynamic extension of support and resources for our alumni Littles—driving meaningful outcomes and lasting impact. As we guide our young adults toward the “3 E’s”—Employment, Enlistment in the military, or Enrollment in a certificate, trade, or post-secondary program—we are actively seeking partners to join us in this mission.

If you or your organization can support Big Futures in any of these areas, we’d love to connect. Send us a message and help us empower the next generation!