At Friends of the Children, we promise to stand by our youth for 12+ years, no matter what. Today, we are incredibly proud to celebrate a historic milestone: the graduation of our very first cohort from Friends of the Children - Tampa Bay.

A recent feature by Spectrum Bay News 9 highlights the powerful bond between professional mentor—called a Friend—Ken Baker and graduates Donovan and Dominic. Since the age of five, Ken has been their constant for over 12 years. Through the loss, hardships, and the uncertainties of the foster care system, Ken was there to provide emotional support, academic guidance, and even wrestling training.

“He’s prepared me for things I wasn’t prepared for. He’s shown me different traits like how to persevere and be determined,” said Donovan. “He’s preparing me for college, and he just prepared me for adulthood.”

Donovan, who is now heading to college, hopes to become a Friend himself one day. This story is a beautiful testament to the power of long-term consistency and the "no matter what" commitment of our program.

Read the full story and watch the video on Spectrum News here.