About

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Friends of the Children - Western Montana is part of a national network of Friends of the Children chapters across the United States. Friends of the Children connects children – who have big hopes and dreams and unique talents – to a paid, professional mentor called a Friend. We hire and train Friends whose full-time jobs are to support our youth to succeed, despite the extremely challenging situations most experience, from as early as age 4 through high school graduation – 12+ years, no matter what.

Our model is distinct, courageous, and proven. We redefined youth mentoring by creating the first and only long-term professional mentoring program in the country. Friends are experts in building sustained and nurturing relationships with youth. Our model is evidence-informed and research-based, and we have proven long-term outcomes to show it works.

We take a two-generation approach to our work, meaning we partner with parents and caregivers to build social capital, improve family stability, and empower families with critical parenting skills. We support families in developing deeper relationships in the community through culturally responsive programming. Each day, our Friends advocate and help amplify the voices of our youth and their families. By challenging the status quo, we help shift the way institutions and systems view and treat our youth and their families. Friends also create meaningful experiences that teach youth to build life skills and make informed decisions while exploring the child’s diverse talents and interests.

Our model is real, and it works.

Mission/Vision

Impacting generational change by empowering youth, who are facing the greatest obstacles, through relationships with professional mentors – 12+ years, no matter what.

Values

At the core of Friends of the Children’s mission is our organizational value of putting children first—walking alongside youth who face some of life’s hardest challenges from kindergarten through high school, for 12+ years no matter what.

Put Children First

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.

History

How it All Began

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.

Friends Montana

Thanks to the generosity of the Tykeson Family Foundation, Echo Fund, SCHEELS, First Interstate Bank, and an anonymous donor, Friends of the Children – Montana (Friends – Montana) officially launched in the fall of 2021!

Our vision is that one day, every child in Montana who experiences traumatic childhood adversity, including children who are at risk of or who have entered foster care, will have a Friend: a paid, professional mentor who stays with them from kindergarten through high school graduation, 12+ years – no matter what.
In collaboration with our community partners, we’re working relentlessly to make a lasting and positive impact on children and families.