Favorite Friends of the Children Stories from 2024

2024 was a banner year at Friends of the Children, as we are now walking alongside more youth across the country than ever before. With new chapters in Eastern Oregon, Coachella Valley, Stockton California, and a growing footprint in Los Angeles, Friends of the Children is now serving youth in 41 locations across the country.

We love year-end "best of" lists, so with that in mind we hope you enjoy reading just a few of our favorite stories from 2024. There were a lot of amazing stories to choose from! Below is just a sample to highlight the impact of our professional mentoring model, and the increase of our reach throughout the country in rural, urban, suburban and Indigenous communities. None of this would be possible without your support! Thank you for the part you’ve played in helping us empower children to dream big.

• Our 2024 Impact Report highlights the support our program made in the lives of five graduates
• After her inspiring Olympics performance, this fall we honored Simone Biles for being a Champion for Children
• Friends of the Children – Western Montana launched a new site serving Indigenous youth on the Flathead Indian Reservation in partnership with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
• Ballmer Group awarded Friends of the Children $2.3 million to support and expand our work in Washington State
• This summer Friends of the Children was highlighted in a New York Times story about Simone Biles