• Friends of the Children-Coachella Valley is part of a national network of chapters across the United States. Friends of the Children connects children to a paid, professional mentor called a Friend. We hire and train Friends whose full-time jobs are to support our youth to succeed from age 4 through high school graduation - 12+ years, no matter what.
• We select children who could most benefit from a relationship with a long-term professional mentor. Our program exclusively focuses on children who are also facing systemic obstacles and who have lived through trauma. Our youth have experienced multiple adverse childhood experiences by the time they reach kindergarten. We partner with community organizations, schools and foster care systems to help us identify children ages 4 to 6 who could most benefit from a relationship with a Friend.
• Our work is relationship-based, individualized and intentional. Each child gets a dedicated, one-on-one Friend who spends time working with the youth in school, at home, and in the community. As part of a 2-Generation Model, our Friends also support the child's family and caregivers, creating a ripple effect and inspiring generational change.