Friends of the Children serves children facing the greatest obstacles to health, well-being, and success. The children in our program have big dreams and great potential, but they face tremendous barriers: generational poverty and trauma, racial discrimination, involvement, or high risk of involvement in the child welfare system, and more. Paid, profession mentors, or “Friends” provide 1:1 support to each child for 12 to 16 hours of service each month—in their schools, homes, and communities—all the way through high school completion, helping them build a path to positive, self-determined life goals.