Meet Antonio, a resilient 10-year-old with a heart full of big dreams! Enrolled in our program at Friends of the Children Austin, he was matched with a paid, professional mentor, Anders, who helped Antonio discover the power of art and exercise in managing his emotions. Antonio’s love for gymnastics led him to meeting World Champion Gymnast and youth advocate Simone Biles, where he asked her about her own gymnastic journey and even got a photo! This event helped him overcome big feelings of fear and worry and marked a turning point for Antonio, boosting his sense of belonging and inspiring him to reach for his dreams. Read Antonio's full story here: https://bit.ly/3t4IQcd
Friends of the Children
Non-profit Organizations
Portland, OR 7,179 followers
Impacting generational change by pairing youth facing the greatest obstacles with a paid, professional mentor.
About us
Friends of the Children was founded in 1993 in Portland, OR with just three Friends—salaried, professional mentors—and 24 children. Today, we are a national network with 37 locations across the country. Friends of the Children was founded by Duncan Campbell, a successful business entrepreneur whose own troubled childhood inspired him to found the organization. Our innovative model pairs children who are in foster care or in high-poverty schools with a Friend. Each child selected for the program has a Friend by their side from kindergarten through high school graduation—12+ years, no matter what. Research has shown that to break the cycle of generational poverty, children need long-term, relationship-based support to graduate from high school, remain free from involvement in the criminal justice system, wait to parent until after their teen years, and pursue opportunities through post-secondary education, serving our country or finding living-wage employment. Third-party evaluation of program graduates shows that: • 83% of our youth graduate with a high school diploma or a GED; • 93% remain free from juvenile justice system involvement; • 98% wait until after their teen years to become parents; and • 92% go on to enroll in post-secondary education, serve our country, or enter the workforce.
- Website
-
https://friendsofthechildren.org
External link for Friends of the Children
- Industry
- Non-profit Organizations
- Company size
- 201-500 employees
- Headquarters
- Portland, OR
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1993
- Specialties
- mentoring, youth, social services, and poverty alleviation
Locations
Employees at Friends of the Children
Updates
-
In diverse locations across the country, Friends of the Children staff and teams inspire and learn from each other every day as we strengthen how we serve youth and families. This is the power of our national network. Recently, the Friends of the Children - Eastern Idaho team visited the Friends of the Children - Utah chapter to gain valuable insights and inspiration from their network peers. To read more about their incredible visit, please click here: https://bit.ly/4d3gKQ3
-
-
BIG NEWS! The New York Times has spotlighted Simone Biles’ work with Friends of the Children in their latest feature. In the story, “To Become the GOAT, Simone Biles First Had to Be A Turtle,” writer Juliet Macur details how Simone continues to empower youth in the Friends of the Children program to dream big. Simone's incredible advocacy and genuine connection with our youth inspires us every day. Program Manager and Professional Mentor, Anders Allison from Friends of the Children Austin says it best: Simone shares her own story and “makes the kids believe that they could do anything, like she has done.” To learn more about Simone’s experience with foster care and how she is empowering youth with Friends of the Children, click here: https://lnkd.in/gBbvnxuT
-
-
Friends of the Children - Colorado Springs was featured in the news for the chapter’s work addressing the greatest obstacles faced by youth and families in El Paso County. Meet paid professional mentor Sarah Reynolds, and hear from parent, Lexie Garcia, who shares the transformative impact the program is having for her daughter. Spoiler alert: STUDENT OF THE MONTH!! Since joining the program, Lexie’s daughter went from having challenges in school to being student of the month three months in a row! To watch now, please visit: https://bit.ly/3YsvALP
-
-
Congratulations to Simone Biles for winning gold in today’s vault final at the Paris Olympics! In the 2023 edition of CNN Heroes: Sharing the Spotlight, Simone shared about her support for Friends of the Children. She spoke with CNN's Alisyn Camerota about how she got her start in gymnastics, her personal experience with foster care, and the importance of her work with Friends of the Children. Watch their full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/gi4VH4dz We are so grateful to Simone for sharing her story and empowering youth to reach for their dreams—her partnership with Friends of the Children is changing lives every day! #FriendsoftheChildren #SimoneBiles #CNNHeroes #SharingtheSpotlight
-
-
As Friends of the Children continues to grow and expand, we’re excited to introduce our model to new communities across the country! In June, Friends of the Children Montana celebrated the launch of the Flathead Nation program. This Indigenous-led program partners with Tribal community leaders to connect youth and families to their culture and heritage. This first year, the Flathead Nation program will serve 16 children from Salish, Qlispe, and Ksanka Tribes and has opened enrollment to all Tribal youth living on the reservation. Their new clubhouse provides a safe and enriching environment for youth, connecting them with long-term mentors who are a part of their Indigenous culture. To learn more about Friends – Western Montana’s Flathead Nation program, please visit: https://bit.ly/4fnVyGl
-
-
Friends of the Children is wishing all the best to Simone Biles at the 2024 Paris Olympics! We are honored to have Simone as a partner and advocate for Friends of the Children. Her unwavering support and dedication to empowering youth facing the greatest challenges makes a lasting impact. Simone's incredible advocacy and genuine connection with our youth inspire us every day. Her belief in the power of mentoring transforms lives and proves that no dream is too big. Together, let’s show Simone lots of love and support as she goes for gold in Paris!
-
-
Thousands of youth at Friends of the Children chapters across the country are cheering on youth advocate, World Champion Gymnast and Friends of the Children national ambassador Simone Biles this week as she competes in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris! Yesterday, youth, Friends, and leaders from the Friends of the Children - Houston chapter attended an Olympics watch party at the World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas where Simone and two other members of the U.S. Women’s Olympic Gymnastics team trained. They cheered along for Simone and the team and watched them win the gold medal in team finals! Read more about the watch party and how Simone is inspiring youth to dream big from the Olympics here: https://lnkd.in/gRzRmecX
-
-
-
-
-
+2
-
-
Friends of the Children is beyond proud of our incredible partner and champion Simone Biles as she competes in the 2024 Paris Olympics! Simone's passion for empowering youth facing challenges like foster care, poverty, and mental health has been truly inspiring. From hosting online warm-up sessions to connecting with youth at her hometown gym, Simone's dedication to our mission shines bright. Her belief in the transformative power of mentorship continues to empower and uplift the youth we serve across the country. Let's cheer for Simone, Team USA, and celebrate the impact of mentorship together!
-
-
Friends of the Children is excited to cheer on Simone Biles at the 2024 Paris Olympics! Simone’s journey from foster care to World Champion gymnast is a testament to her strength and resilience. As a fierce advocate for Friends of the Children, she leverages her platform to be a voice for youth facing some of life’s great challenges. Her support and encouragement have made a lasting difference in the lives of countless children and families in our program. We are grateful for Simone and her belief in the power of mentorship to create generational change. Join us in supporting Simone and building a brighter future for our youth!
-