Friends of the Children Celebrating National Foster Care Month and National Mental Health Awareness Month

This May, Friends of the Children is again joining two nationwide campaigns: National Foster Care Month and National Mental Health Awareness Month. For over 30 years, Friends of the Children has been dedicated to supporting youth and families facing the greatest obstacles, including those impacted by foster care and those experiencing barriers to accessing mental health support.

Friends of the Children believes in the power of paid, professional mentoring to improve the mental, emotional, and behavioral health of youth facing the greatest obstacles. The majority of youth in the program - including 70% of teens - have accessed counseling services when needed and 98% of youth made progress on social and emotional development. We prioritize children at higher risk of mental health challenges and equip our paid, professional mentors with the tools they need to build the kind of safe, supportive environments that all children deserve.

The professional mentoring model's success in foster care is evident in its proven outcomes, from preventing entry into foster care, to shortening lengths of stays, and reducing foster care re-entry rates. By 2030, we believe Friends of the Children can reduce the number of 5-year-olds entering foster care by 10%. Through collaborative efforts with stakeholders nationwide, we are dedicated to expanding our reach to serve thousands more children and families, fostering prevention, safety, and family stability.

To bring visibility to our work in both foster care and mental health, Friends of the Children is partnering with the advertising company Billups on digital ads to put these campaigns front and center in May. Billups has donated thousands of digital placements in 25+ cites, which will be seen everywhere from bus stops and sidewalk signs to huge billboards and taxi screens. We are grateful and so excited for these ads for bringing awareness to this necessary and important work across the nation. We will also be amplifying this campaign in our Friends – National newsletter and on our social media with the hashtags:

#PutChildrenFirst #MentalHealthMatters #FosterOurFuture

Use these hashtags to join in on this important conversation during the month of May and be sure to tag us at @FriendsNational.

Join us this month as Friends of the Children champions the health, safety, and well-being of children and families in communities across the country during National Foster Care Month and National Mental Health Awareness Month. Together, we can work towards a future where every child who needs a Friend has one.