Youth Mentor Group's 60th Celebration In Simsbury To Honor East Hartford Man

SIMSBURY/EAST HARTFORD, CT — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut will mark its 60th anniversary with an anniversary gala event at 6 p.m. Feb. 28 at The Riverview in Simsbury.

There, it will honor six community leaders for their contributions to youth mentorship, including East Hartford resident Michael A. Mascaro.

Founded in 1966, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut has matched more than 100,000 children with adult mentors statewide, according to the organization.

More than 1,400 young people were served by the nonprofit in the past year.

The anniversary gala is intended to recognize mentors, donors, and community partners who have supported the organization’s mission over six decades.

Net proceeds from the event will support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut’s mentoring programs.

Mascaro, one of the honorees, first became involved with the organization as a child.

He joined Big Brothers Big Sisters at age 8 while living in East Hartford and was matched with mentor Tim Ruark, then an actuary at Cigna.

Ruark encouraged Mascaro to pursue his interests in math and science, guidance Mascaro credits as influential in his later career. The two remain in contact.

Mascaro has since built a career in the technology sector, working at Comcast, Meta, and Google, and currently at Nvidia, where he is involved in developing infrastructure for artificial intelligence.

He later returned to the organization as a volunteer mentor, joined the board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut, and received a Myra Kraft Community Impact Award for his work.

The organization said the gala will also highlight the broader impact of one-to-one mentoring. Francesco Lascari of Torrington, a volunteer mentor, described his experience working with his mentee, Wilfredo, emphasizing the importance of consistent involvement and communication.

Information about sponsorships, donations, and volunteer opportunities is available through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut.

For more information on Big Brothers Big Sisters of Connecticut and/or to donate, click on this link.

To purchase tickets for the gala or donate, click on this link.