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We celebrate the thousands of youth who have grown through our program since 1993. There have been more heart-to-heart conversations and big hugs than any one person can count, and we know there are many more to come.
Explore this timeline to see a few key moments in the history of the Friends of the Children national network.
1993
"Children can be resilient when they are supported."
2000
2001
2004
2008
NIH awards $3M for Randomized Controlled Trial of the effectiveness of the Friends of the Children model
2010
2013
Bob and Dottie King invest $5M to establish National, the first of several investments totaling over $8M from King Philanthropies
2014
Friends of the Children begins selecting youth directly from FOSTER CARE
2015
Network-wide performance management system launched
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention invests $500,000 to support the expansion of service to youth in foster care – the first of six awards TOTALING $12.5M through 2026
2016
Friends of the Children receives $4M Social Innovation Fund award
Russell Wilson and Ciara begin investing in Friends of the Children through their WHY NOT YOU FOUNDATION
2017
Preliminary findings from the Longitudinal Randomized Controlled Trial are published in Prevention Science
2018
Michael Jordan makes MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR investment in Friends of the Children
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation invests $1.75M to launch 2GEN PILOT
2019
Annie E. Casey Foundation study results published in Child & Family Social Work
2020
Simone Biles begins her incredible support for the Friends Network
In response to COVID-19, Family Needs Assessments take place across the network
2021
ECHO FUND INVESTS $6M to support the expansion of partnerships with rural and tribal communities
Conrad N. Hilton Foundation invests an additional $3.4M to expand 2Gen work and to study its impact
Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies invests $2.5M to expand partnerships with tribal communities
2022
MacKenzie Scott invests $44M in the Friends of the Children network
2Gen Impact Randomized Controlled Trial launches in partnership with the University of Notre Dame
2023
Gary & Christine Rood commit $33M to the Friends of the Children network
ECHO FUND INVESTS AN ADDITIONAL $6M to support the expansion of partnerships with rural and tribal communities
Chiloquin
Flathead Nation
2024
Ballmer Group invests $2.3M to sustain and expand our work in Washington State
Congress approves $850,000 GRANT for National Center of Excellence
Friends of the Children closes out $30M CAMPAIGN for the 30th anniversary