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Friends of the Children Timeline

Below are just a few key moments in the history of 30 years of the Friends of the Children national network. Explore the interactive timeline to learn more!

    1993

    "Children can be resilient when they are supported."

    - Duncan Campbell

    Friends of the Children Founded
    Friends of the Children is founded by Duncan Campbell in Portland, OR
    Portland
    Friends of the Children - Portland chapter is established in OR
    website
    KGW TV Portland
    Friends of the Children Portland featured on KGW TV
    Watch on YouTube

    1995

    PSA on KATU2 Portland Watch on YouTube

    2000

    Seattle
    Friends of the Children - Seattle chapter is established in WA
    website
    NBC Nightly News Feature Watch on YouTube
    Klamath Basin
    Friends of the Children - Klamath Basin is established in OR
    website

    2001

    New York
    Friends of the Children - New York chapter established in NY
    website

    2004

    Boston
    Friends of the Children - Boston chapter is established in MA
    website

    2008

    NIH awards $3M

    for Randomized Controlled Trial of the effectiveness of the Friends of the Children model

    2010

    Social Return on Investment Study determines that every dollar invested in Friends of the Children returns over $7 to the community

    Read More

    Network-wide performance management system launched

    2013

    $5M gift

    from Bob and Dottie King to establish a National Endowment, ensuring there will always be a National headquarters

    2014

    Tampa Bay
    Friends of the Children - Tampa Bay chapter is established in FL
    website
    South Bronx
    Friends of the Children - New York chapter expands from Harlem to second location in South Bronx
    website

    Friends of the Children begins selecting youth directly from foster care

    2015

    Gresham
    Friends of the Children - Portland chapter expands to second location in Gresham
    website

    Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

    invests $500,000

    to support the expansion of service to foster youth -- the first of five awards through 2021 totaling $8.5M

    2016

    San Francisco
    Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area chapter is established in CA
    website

    Friends of the Children receives a

    $4M Social Innovation Fund award

    "A lot of it for me has just been if we can inspire one kid, [that] boy or girl may change the world."

    - Russell Wilson

    Russell Wilson and Why Not You Foundation
    CBS News Highlights Russell Wilson and Why Not You Foundation
    Watch on YouTube

    2017

    Central Oregon
    Friends of the Children - Central Oregon chapter is established
    website
    Austin
    Friends of the Children - Austin chapter is established in TX
    website
    Charlotte
    Friends of the Children - Charlotte chapter is established in NC
    website
    Los Angeles
    Friends of the Children - Los Angeles chapter is established in CA
    website
    Chicago
    Friends of the Children - Chicago chapter is established in IL
    website

    Preliminary findings from the Randomized Controlled Trial are published in Prevention Science

    Read More

    2018

    "My mentors believed in me and taught me the power of perseverance. I want youth in Friends of the Children to see that they have that same potential.”

    - Michael Jordan

    Michael Jordan Makes Multimillion-Dollar Investment Read More

    Conrad N. Hilton Foundation invests $1.75M to launch 2Gen pilot

    Read More

    2019

    Antelope Valley
    Friends of the Children - Los Angeles chapter expands to a second location in Antelope Valley
    website
    Fargo
    Friends of the Children - Fargo chapter is established in ND
    website

    Annie E. Casey caregiver study results published in Child & Family Social Work.

    Read More
    Tacoma
    Friends of the Children - Tacoma chapter is established in WA
    website
    Salt Lake City
    Friends of the Children - Utah chapter is established in Salt Lake City
    website

    2020

    Friends of the Children in Times Square Read More
    Southwest Washington
    Friends of the Children - Southwest Washington is established
    website
    Detroit
    Friends of the Children - Detroit chapter is established in MI
    website
    Lane County
    Friends of the Children - Lane County chapter is established
    website

    2021

    Western Montana
    Friends of the Children - Western Montana chapter is established in Missoula
    website
    Colorado Springs
    Friends of the Children - Colorado Springs chapter is established in CO
    website

    Echo Fund invests $6M

    to support the expansion of partnerships with rural and tribal communities

    Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

    invests $2.5M

    to expand partnerships with tribal communities

    Conrad N. Hilton Foundation invests an additional

    $3.4M to expand 2Gen work

    and to study its impact

    2022

    Ciara on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
    Ciara Brings Friends of the Children to The Ellen DeGeneres Show
    Watch on YouTube
    Phoenix
    Friends of the Children - Phoenix chapter is established in AZ
    website

    “You just need that one person who believes in you and can uplift your spirit on those really hard days. And that’s what you have—you have those mentors. So really lean on them, trust in them.”

    - Simone Biles

    Simone Biles Partners with Friends of the Children Read More
    He Sapa
    Friends of the Children - He Sapa chapter is established Rapid City, SD
    Eastern Montana
    Friends of the Children - Eastern Montana is established in Billings
    Pine Ridge
    Friends of the Children - He Sapa chapter expands to a second location in Pine Ridge Reservation, SD
    Houston
    Friends of the Children - Houston chapter is established in TX
    Twin Cities
    Friends of the Children - Twin Cities chapter is established in Minneapolis – St. Paul

    MacKenzie Scott

    invests $44M

    in the Friends of the Children network

    Read More

    2Gen

    Impact Randomized Controlled Trial launches in partnership with the University of Notre Dame.

    Read More

    2023

    Wheaties Breakfast of Champions
    World Champion Gymnast Simone Biles Celebrates Friends of the Children – Houston Launch at Wheaties Breakfast of Champions 
    Read More