Friends of the Children.
Friends of the Children is a 30-year national nonprofit organization that selects and invites youth – all of whom have unique talents, interests, and dreams, and face multiple systemic obstacles – to be paired with a paid, professional mentor called a Friend.
Their Mission.
Friends of the Children is a 30-year national nonprofit organization that selects and invites youth – all of whom have unique talents, interests, and dreams, and face multiple systemic obstacles – to be paired with a paid, professional mentor called a Friend. The organization hires and trains Friends to support youth from as early as age 4 through high school graduation – 12+ years, no matter what. As of 2023, Friends of the Children is a network of 26 chapters across the U.S. The organization shares its expertise with other organizations doing mission-aligned work at national conferences and convenings.
Program Summary.
The 12+-year relationship between a “Friend” and a youth is at the core of Friends of the Children’s model. In partnership with schools, community-based organizations, and child welfare agencies, children are invited into the program at ages 4-6 years old, and the organization promises a one-on-one paid, professional mentor (a “Friend”) through high school. Through highly individualized service delivery, Friends of the Children constructs a network of support around families to ensure their children achieve long-term success. For 3-4 hours/week over 12+ years, Friends join each child in their homes, schools, and communities to provide 1:1 guidance and support. Deep and enduring relationships are the backbone of their work. “My Friend gave me the love and care I needed through all my hard times. I could count on him, and he never gave up on me” – Friends of the Children Graduate.
Demographics and Outcomes.
From Nov 2022 - Oct 2023, Friends of the Children served 2350 youth nationwide. Of those youth, 41% were Black, 25% Latinx, 13% White, 5 % Native American/Alaskan/Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 1%, Asian, and 15% have two or more race identifications. 30% of youth in the program have experienced out-of-home placement and nearly 30% of caring adults have experience foster care themselves. 83% of Friends of the Children youth graduate with a high school diploma or GED compared to 66% of youth experiencing foster care who are not in the program. 93 % of Friends’ youth avoid the juvenile justice system, vs. 74 % of youth without Friends experiencing foster care who avoid the juvenile justice system. 98 % Friends’ youth who avoid parenting in their teens vs. 74 % of youth without Friends experiencing foster care who wait to parent until after their teen years.