Friends of the Children knows what it takes to change lives: a long-term approach and a no-matter-what attitude. Twenty-six years ago, Friends of the Children took mentoring out of the volunteer realm, and it has changed thousands of lives. Our mentors are professional, full-time, salaried employees who work one-to-one with our community's highest-priority youth from kindergarten through graduation???12+ years, no matter what. Today, we are a national organization with 21 locations and envision a world where all youth are empowered to dream big and build bright futures for themselves, their families, and their communities.
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Friends of the Children Portland is at an exciting point in our trajectory. We are the largest and founding chapter and serve as model for the national network. With the committed work of 90 employees, over 500 youth across 150 schools in the Portland/SW Washington area currently receive intentional, long-term mentorship through Friends of the Children. Last year, mentors provided over 75,000 hours of enriching interactions and goal-oriented skill building guaranteed to establish a foundation for lifelong success.
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We select the children facing the highest risks and once selected, Friends of the Children pairs them with a professional Friend and they continue to be mentored through their high school graduation. Each week, mentors spend three to four hours one-on-one with each youth in their caseload, helping with homework and life skills, setting and working toward personal goals, and doing fun activities. We commit to every child for the long term, from kindergarten through graduation. 12+ years. No matter what.
