Our Mission
Impacting generational change by empowering youth who are facing the greatest obstacles through relationships with Professional Mentors. 12.5ears. No Matter What.
At Friends of the Children-Chicago, we identify children ages four to six who live in communities most impacted by poverty and gun violence and pair them with paid, professional mentors. We stay by their side for the long-term: 12.5 years. No Matter What.
A professional mentor’s full-time job is to support the social, emotional, and academic development of our youth. We work in all facets of our children’s lives, building bridges between home, school, and community. We also have a team dedicated to supporting caregivers and families to help ensure our kids have a safe and secure environment.
We are part of a national network with more than 30 chapters and 30 years of proven experience. 92% of youth go on to enroll in post-secondary education, serve our country, or enter the workforce.Our model is real, and it works.
Impacting generational change by empowering youth who are facing the greatest obstacles through relationships with Professional Mentors. 12.5ears. No Matter What.
Our values guide us to achieve our mission. Each value applies not only to our youth, Friends and program teams, but also applies to all Friends of the Children employees, volunteers and partners. We use our values to make informed decisions; to hire, coach, manage; and most importantly, we use our values to change the way the world treats and views the youth and families we serve.
Putting Children First as a key value for the organization means that the youth we serve are the primary focus of everything we do at Friends of the Children. We intentionally serve youth who are facing great obstacles. We listen to youth and base decisions on their needs and dreams, as they write their own stories of success. We foster a supportive, consistent relationship between each youth and professional mentor—a relationship that grows through high school, and into their adult lives.
We nurture long-term relationships from a foundation of love and acceptance. Our practice is rooted in the wisdom of communities, tailoring support to honor each youth’s unique identity and shared heritage. We don’t give up easily and take a no matter what approach to our work. We intentionally develop collaborative relationships over time with trust, empathy and healthy communication. We build community through one-on-one connections that are authentic, respectful and meaningful.
We leverage personal strengths to take ownership of our futures. We build relationships within the communities of our youth and families to strengthen social networks and provide bridges to new opportunities. We consistently inspire possibility through empathy, hard work and fun. We model all of this for our youth, families and each other.
We celebrate all achievements, big and small. We are disciplined in our commitment to goals, while innovative in how we reach them. We believe that the definition of success requires intentional reflection and adjustment over time. We work together and hold ourselves accountable with data to achieve short and long-term outcomes.
We believe everyone deserves the chance to reach their full potential, because where you start shouldn’t decide how far you go. We advocate to ensure every child, regardless of historical and present challenges, has the resources, support, and voice needed to thrive. We amplify and listen to the hopes and dreams of the children, families, and communities we serve. We harness different perspectives to overcome barriers and drive measurable change for every child. Together, we work to challenge and remove obstacles so potential isn’t limited by any circumstance.
Friends of the Children–Chicago was founded in 2018 by a group of concerned Chicagoans determined to support youth and families in Austin and North Lawndale so that they can break the generational cycles of poverty, violence and abuse.
We believe in our youth, their families and their communities. We know that with proper support, there is great potential for positive change. But there are no quick fixes. While there are several programs committed to violence interruption and prevention, too often, their support comes too late. Interventions are often short-lived, with expectations for quick results.
Healing trauma just doesn’t work that way. It takes years of sustained and trusting relationships to create a new path for children who have faced poverty, violence and abuse. And the earlier that healing begins, the better the chances of success.
That’s what makes Friends of the Children–Chicago different. We start early, and we commit to the children in our program for the long term.
While we are relatively new to Chicago, we are part of a national organization with a 30-year track record.
Friends of the Children was established in 1993 by entrepreneur Duncan Campbell and his wife, Cindy Campbell, in Portland, Ore. The Campbells purchased a school building in the same Northeast Portland neighborhood where Duncan experienced a challenging childhood. After finding business success, Duncan wanted to help kids who grew up in an environment like his. In 1992, the Campbell Institute for Children, conducted extensive research to determine the most effective program model to help young children overcome adversity and realize their inherent resilience and potential. The research clearly indicated that the strongest protective factor a child can have is a long-term, nurturing relationship with a consistent and caring adult.
Friends of the Children began with just three salaried, professional mentors called Friends and 24 children. Friends of the Children has grown to employ hundreds of Friends who serve thousands of children across the nation. You can view the full list of locations on our national website.