Our Mission
Our mission is impacting generational change by empowering youth who are facing the greatest obstacles through relationships with professional mentors — 12+ years, no matter what.
Friends of the Children – Los Angeles (known locally as Friends LA) is part of a national network of Friends of the Children chapters across the United States.
With Los Angeles County being home to America's largest child welfare system, Friends LA has been working to keep families together and end multigenerational poverty in Southern California since our founding in 2017.
We connect children ages 4-6 who have been impacted by the child welfare system to a long-term, salaried, professional mentor called a Friend.
Each day, our Friends advocate and help amplify the voices of our youth and caregivers – who often become voiceless in the midst of multiple systemic failures. By challenging the status quo, we help shift the way institutions and systems view and treat our youth and their families.
Evidence supports us, but our values and passion guide us in our work.
Our mission is impacting generational change by empowering youth who are facing the greatest obstacles through relationships with professional mentors — 12+ years, no matter what.
At the core of Friends of the Children’s mission is our organizational value of putting children first—walking alongside youth who face some of life’s hardest challenges from kindergarten through high school, for 12+ years no matter what.
Putting Children First as a key value for the organization means that the youth we serve are the primary focus of everything we do at Friends of the Children. We intentionally serve youth who are facing great obstacles. We listen to youth and base decisions on their needs and dreams, as they write their own stories of success. We foster a supportive, consistent relationship between each youth and professional mentor—a relationship that grows through high school, and into their adult lives.
We nurture long-term relationships from a foundation of love and acceptance. Our practice is rooted in the wisdom of communities, tailoring support to honor each youth’s unique identity and shared heritage. We don’t give up easily and take a no matter what approach to our work. We intentionally develop collaborative relationships over time with trust, empathy and healthy communication. We build community through one-on-one connections that are authentic, respectful and meaningful.
We leverage personal strengths to take ownership of our futures. We build relationships within the communities of our youth and families to strengthen social networks and provide bridges to new opportunities. We consistently inspire possibility through empathy, hard work and fun. We model all of this for our youth, families and each other.
We celebrate all achievements, big and small. We are disciplined in our commitment to goals, while innovative in how we reach them. We believe that the definition of success requires intentional reflection and adjustment over time. We work together and hold ourselves accountable with data to achieve short and long-term outcomes.
We believe everyone deserves the chance to reach their full potential, because where you start shouldn’t decide how far you go. We advocate to ensure every child, regardless of historical and present challenges, has the resources, support, and voice needed to thrive. We amplify and listen to the hopes and dreams of the children, families, and communities we serve. We harness different perspectives to overcome barriers and drive measurable change for every child. Together, we work to challenge and remove obstacles so potential isn’t limited by any circumstance.
Friends of the Children–Los Angeles (Friends LA) began as a bold vision: to change the lives of vulnerable children and families in our community. Today, that vision fuels a movement of long-term mentorship, hope, and opportunity.
Los Angeles County has the largest child welfare system in the United States. Parenting youth aging out of foster care, families living below the federal poverty level, and those impacted by natural disasters like the wildfires of 2025 all face overlapping crises. Without intervention, these kids and caregivers can be caught in generational cycles of instability.
Since launching in 2017, Friends LA has paired children as young as age 4 with full-time, professional mentors we call "Friends". Unlike traditional volunteer programs, our Friends make a 12+ year commitment—walking with each child from kindergarten through high school graduation, no matter what.
In the summer of 2020, with the support of Supervisor Kathryn Barger, Friends LA piloted this long-term mentorship model in the Antelope Valley. The results were extraordinary: not a single enrolled child entered the foster care system. Building on that success, in June 2023 Friends LA secured a $13 million investment from the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to fuel a three-year expansion.
With this expansion and new investment, Friends LA is:
Doubling our reach to nearly 1,700 children and caregivers across Los Angeles County—up from about 900 previously served. This growth ensures that more children living in poverty, recovering from disasters, or facing other crises can be paired with a dedicated mentor.
Strengthening our two-generation support, empowering caregivers with advocacy tools and parenting skills so families experience lasting change, not just temporary relief.
Deepening community partnerships, particularly with Los Angeles County, to build sustainable systems that prevent children from entering the foster care system in the first place.
Friends of the Children was founded in 1993 by entrepreneur Duncan Campbell and his wife, Cindy, in Portland, Oregon. The Campbells purchased a former school building in the same Northeast Portland neighborhood where Duncan had experienced a difficult childhood. After building a successful business career, he wanted to create opportunities for kids growing up in environments like his.
In 1992, the Campbell Institute for Children conducted extensive research to identify the most effective way to help children overcome adversity and thrive. The findings were clear: the single strongest protective factor in a child’s life is a long-term, nurturing relationship with a consistent, caring adult.
Friends of the Children began with just three salaried, professional mentors—called Friends—and 24 children. Today, the organization has grown to employ hundreds of Friends serving thousands of children nationwide. You can view the full list of locations on our national website.