Staff Spotlight: Grant Crawford
Today, we’d like to shine a special spotlight on Grant Crawford, who works as part of our Site-based Match Support team. This Match Support Specialist has been with Big Brothers Big Sisters for 1 year now. We are excited to see Grant continue to grow in his role!
After he clocks out for the day, there are lots of things that keep Grant busy. He can always count on his regular weekly shows for content to enjoy. This video game fan also plays online weekly with a friend, and lately the two have been on a Minecraft binge. As another pastime of his, Grant loves to cook anything rich, creamy, and bacony (such as cloudy mashed potatoes and carbonara pasta dishes). One resolution he has for 2026 is to make 50 soups this year (about one a week). He’s up to three so far!
Grant’s go-to fun fact about himself is that he has a severe cat allergy, leading to his family getting beloved hairless cats growing up. Another fun fact: he is an ordained minister! He even officiated his cousin’s wedding.
Grant grew up in Fort Wayne, completing his high school education at Canterbury. He then attended Miami University, where he received his undergraduate degree in marketing with a minor in information systems. He got his start in the big tech industry in Wisconsin, but after COVID-19 began, there was an opportunity to move back to Fort Wayne and continue his marketing career here.
Grant then decided to further his education with a master’s in marketing analytics at American University. It was while he was working on this next step in his marketing career that he began considering a career switch—thanks to some advice he received from his mom.
Describe how you transitioned from the marketing field to casework.
Grant: As I was still finishing up my master's degree, I got a great suggestion from my mom to do some volunteer work, and that got me into the National Crisis Text Line, where I did some counseling work with people. They can text about any kinds of issues, anytime, anytime of the day, any age range. I found a lot of fulfillment in that, and at one point, I just kind of figured, gosh, I should probably get paid for some of this stuff. And so, I started looking more on the social work side, and that got me to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
What's something that you had to adjust to or learn during that transition?
Grant: Well, as a marketing analytics person, I was very much on the data side, and that didn't really match with my personality. I'm much more of a people-person. Gaining those skills, feeling more confident, and making a cold call—I still hate to do it, but it’s super necessary. Learning lessons of putting yourself out there and asking for help from the team (especially at the end of the month when those Bigs aren't answering their phones) is really essential, and it's something I did need to learn pretty quick.
Big Brothers Big Sisters’ longstanding status in the community and its mission of mentorship drew him to the organization, along with the chance to work with youth. It has now been a year since he began his journey with the agency as a Site-Based Match Support Specialist, handling youth and volunteers in the School Buddies Program. Grant provides check-ins to Bigs and Littles, either at the school or via phone, and he interviews new students enrolling in the program. He is also responsible for the match-up meetings where a Big and a Little meet for the first time. Overall, he is there to support and answer any questions a match has.
Out of all the aspects of his job, the one he enjoys most is getting to work with the kids in the schools. The fun stories he comes back with keep the job entertaining, such as when he asked a student what she likes to do at home for fun, and she replied that she likes to count money and be bored. Why, you ask? That’s when she gets her best ideas, of course. Grant believes this direct interaction with students is the most unique part of his job.
How do you connect and build trust with a new match as a Match Support Specialist?
Grant: First off, with the Little, I like to always ask if they are up to chatting with me the day I might have called… if they're having a bad day, I don't want to add to that. So I like to ask, ‘Would you be willing to have a chat with me, do a quick check-in?’ Usually, they are pretty willing to check in, especially once I've met them a couple of times, but I do like to ask and give them that agency.
And then on the Big side, I find that just being in constant communication, keeping text updates through the matching process, and being able to answer their questions even outside of a normally scheduled check-in, it's really something that builds the bond from our end.
The hardest part of his role comes from getting volunteers to answer their phones for monthly contacts (his tip is to call from a different number or have a coworker call). As for his role working with children, difficulties arise when there are things that he can’t help with. Instead of jumping in himself, allowing the Big to mentor their Little is often the best course of action, as they already have a preestablished relationship. Grant has enjoyed witnessing Bigs step into this mentorship role, especially seeing them adjust to their Little’s unique personality and needs. Learning the Little and altering course is a sign the volunteer is growing as a mentor, like whether the day calls for being active and doing games or sitting down and doing homework. One of the benefits of mentorships is having an adult to guide these Littles as they learn these life balances.
Do you have a mentor in your own life?
Grant: I'd say my dad was always a good mentor in that sense. The piece of advice that he gave after my first job was that actually it's the manager who makes a good job. If you have a good manager, it's a lot easier to want to do well and want to succeed. I think you know that's been a great culture here at Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Gotta shout out Jassmine.
Do you have any general life advice outside of work?
Grant: I'm a huge work-life balance guy. You will not be able to contact me at 2:01 PM. My Dialpad is on Do Not Disturb. If you need me, my cell phone's available, but you don't need me. I promise.
…I'm all about the mental health, making sure that I feel good before I'm helping others. In fact, that was one of the big mottos at the National Crisis Text Line. You can't pour from an empty cup, so you have to make sure your cup is full before you help others. And I think that's something I take with me every day.
Grant has taken on a mentorship role himself through volunteering as a Real Men Reader, where he goes into a classroom five times during the school year to read to a 2nd or 3rd-grade classroom. The students’ politeness and enthusiasm make the program a fun experience, and Grant gets to bring back stories of their fun antics. From receiving colored pictures to walking in on a crazy hair day at school (with one kid sporting a “67” in his hair), there’s never a dull moment.
Thank you, Grant, for your dedication to our School Buddy volunteers and Littles!
