In honor of surpassing 1M Lime Hero trips and donations exceeding $500K, we are thrilled to introduce a new monthly series called “Hero of the Month!”

This month, we are spotlighting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta. Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) helps children realize their potential and build their futures. They mentor children and strengthen communities.

We spoke with Kwame Johnson, President and CEO of BBBS and Mike Milero, a volunteer at BBBS for a fireside Q&A.

Can you give us a brief overview on what you do?

Kwame Johnson: As President and CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta, I work with a talented and dedicated team to defend the potential of young people in metro Atlanta. Our mission is to create and support mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

Mike Milero: I am a volunteer with Big Brother with Big Brothers Big Sisters. As a Big Brother, I have a little brother that I mentor. In the 9 years we’ve been matched, my little and I have gone hiking, rock climbing, to the movies, out to eat, played baseball, walked around the city, and just hung out. We try to do things that we both want to do and, while doing them, talk about life. I help my little by sharing my experiences and he helps me by sharing how things are from his perspective. In the end, we both grow and get better together.

How does Big Brothers Big Sisters measure its impact on Atlanta?

Kwame Johnson: We are very proud of the outcomes the young people in our program are able to achieve through our portfolio of mentoring programs. In 2023, 97% of our high school seniors graduated on time and 91% had plans after high school for enrolling in a college or technical school, employment on a career-trajectory path, entrepreneurship or enlistment in the military. 99% of the youth in our program avoid the juvenile justice system and 85% reported decreased or no depressive symptoms.

What is your favorite part about Big Brothers Big Sisters?

Kwame Johnson: My favorite part of BBBS is hearing about a young person graduating high school. After doing this work for 20 years, I know that high school Graduation is the fastest way out of poverty. Last year, I was happy to share that 98% of our littles graduated high school and avoided the criminal justice system. I am proud to play a small part in that story!

Mike Milero: I’ve been able to watch my little grow up. From meeting when he was 9 years old to now as an 18 year old looking to go to college next year - it’s been amazing to watch him mature and evolve into a fantastic young man. I’m incredibly grateful that BBBS took the time to carefully pair us together; the amount that I’ve learned from him is, I’m sure, greater than what he’s learned from me. BBBS understands the impact that mentoring has on both parties - the mentor and the mentee - and makes sure that all of the tools needed to impact lives are readily available. From day one my little and I have felt supported and empowered to grow together.

What is the biggest obstacle Big Brothers Big Sisters faces?

Kwame Johnson: One of our biggest challenges is recruiting more bigs to mentor students in our program. A couple of hundred kids are waiting for mentors in Atlanta and over 10,000 across the US. We need your help getting more people to sign up to be mentors.

How did you get involved in Big Brothers Big Sisters?

Kwame Johnson: I found my passion while incarcerated during my senior year of high school. During this challenging time, I decided to change my life and made history by becoming the first youth to ever take his SATs in jail. I was accepted into Hampton University and decided to leave college at the age of 19 to become a social entrepreneur and I have dedicated my life to service and helping our youth reach their full potential. My journey led me to BBBS six years ago when I became CEO and more importantly a Defender of Potential.

Mike Milero: I had a friend in college that was heavily involved with BBBS. Watching him influence his littles life and seeing how much it impacted both of them was really moving. In watching that relationship, I knew BBBS was always an organization I was going to get involved in.. When I moved to Atlanta after graduation, one of the first things I did was sign up to be a big brother. I wanted to get involved in my new city and play a role in shaping our community.

What was the biggest project you worked on in 2023? What was the impact?

Kwame Johnson: We launched a new innovative program called Level Up. This program was developed after many middle school principals contacted us because they wanted large-scale mentoring in their schools. Coming out of COVID, they saw behaviors they had never seen before and thought mentoring could help. In response to the community demand, we developed the Level Up program, which consistently provides 1:1 and small group (maximum 1:5) mentoring within the school. Mentoring is provided by trained, professional mentors who work in their schools daily, and each mentors 50 kids. In the first year, we served 295 youth in three APS schools. The current (2023-24) school year is our second program year, and we are currently serving nearly 800 students in 4 APS and 1 DeKalb County schools.

The program dramatically impacts students' ability to self-regulate and manage emotions, reduce school discipline events, decrease depressive symptoms, and improve school attendance rates. Two of our schools (H.J. Russell West End Academy and Price Middle School) saw the most significant average daily attendance increase compared to all middle schools during the 2023-23 school year.

Mike Milero: My little is a senior in high school this year, so this year was a big one for him. Before 2023, our conversations revolved mainly around movies, current events, school - things that were generally lighthearted and fun. In 2023 our conversations pivoted almost strictly to college - where to go, what tests to take, scholarships to apply for, what to study and how can he set himself up for success. We managed to keep the fun and lighthearted nature of the last eight years while moving the conversations to things that were generally more serious and complicated.

What's ahead for Big Brothers Big Sisters in 2024?

Kwame Johnson: My big goal is to provide every young person in need with a mentor. I want to make mentorship a part of what we ALL do in Atlanta and America. We will continue to expand all our mentoring programs to serve more youth.

Rapid Fire Questions

E-bike or E-Scooter?

Kwame Johnson: E-Scooter

Mike Milero: E-Scooter

Favorite place to take a Lime in Atlanta

Kwame Johnson: Beltline

Mike Milero: Piedmont Park to Krog Street Market

Favorite part about partnering with Lime?

Kwame Johnson: The money we raise is great, but letting riders know how they can become mentors is more important.

Mike Milero: It might actually be impossible not to smile while riding an e-scooter. I love being able to partner with a company that brings so much joy.

Three words that describe Big Brothers Big Sisters?

Kwame Johnson: Defenders of Potential

Mike Milero: Impactful, community, growth

If Big Brothers Big Sisters had a superhero mascot, who would it be and why?

Kwame Johnson: The countless Big Brothers and Big Sisters that step up each day to mentor our youth

Mike Milero:Hard not to go with Iron Man. Someone who isn’t born with any actual superpowers and simply has the resources - time, money, opportunity, compassion - to impact the world. His relationship with some of the other superheroes evolves into one that is centered around growth, teaching, and love.