Little Sister Gabi & Big Sister Paulina: 2026 Match of the Year

Big Sister Paulina and Little Sister Gabi were matched in March of 2017, when Gabi was just 8 years old. Right away, these two seemed to make the perfect match for one another. At their match introduction, Paulina even said that Gabi’s family reminded her of her own.  

Their first few activities were full of crafts – making a calendar to keep track of their planned activities, attending an art lesson at Michael’s, and taking a painting class through BBBSCI.  

Outside of their creative activities, Gabi recalls that one of her first memories with her Big Sister is when Paulina visited her at school for lunch. Gabi always watched her friends bring in their families for lunch, but it was something she rarely got to experience herself. When Paulina showed up for her at school, Gabi says it made her feel seen and loved.  

In a letter to Paulina looking back at the experience of being matched, Gabi said, “You stepped into my life with open arms and an open heart, not knowing who I was. You stepping into this role in my life impacted me for the better and that is something I will always appreciate you for.” 

In their first few years of being matched, Paulina and Gabi spent a lot of time getting to know one another, exploring their interests, and trying new things. With Paulina, Gabi got to have many experiences for the first time – such as attending a Pacers game, seeing the festival of lights at the Indianapolis Zoo, and trying apple cider at a pumpkin patch! Paulina says that she really appreciates how willing Gabi is to try new things and have new experiences within their community.  

Through these outings, they discovered that they share a love for attending sports games – especially Butler sports games. At Butler, they’ve attended soccer, basketball, and volleyball games – even getting to be present for a half-time Q&A session with athletes.  

Paulina has also shared that Gabi’s favorite outings are ones where they have the chance to give back to the community. They’ve volunteered to make meals through Pack Away Hunger and Gleaner’s Food Bank in the past – sharing both their light and important resources with the community.  

Outside of their many adventures, Paulina has also supported Gabi through her academic career. When Gabi was younger, Paulina would help her practice her reading skills and prepare for ISTEP and IREAD exams. As Gabi has gotten older, Paulina has encouraged her to think about what she wants for her future and has even attended college tours alongside her.  

Gabi feels appreciative of this support she’s received from Paulina. In a letter for Paulina, Gabi said, “You’ve always supported my interests and dreams without anything negative to say. You’re a person that I can easily talk to whenever anything happens.” 

Gabi and Paulina’s special bond is strengthened by the fact that they are both first-generation Americans in their family. On this topic, Paulina said, “Our families are from Mexico, and we are the first generation to be born in the United States. We know the sacrifices our families made for our futures.” 

Paulina is excited to continue to support Gabi as she makes big decisions and builds her own future. Despite being matched for 8 years – their friendship and the time that they get to spend with one another is just as exciting and meaningful as it was back then. Both Gabi and Paulina are looking forward to creating even more memories alongside one another in the coming years.