Closing Out Another Year and Looking Forward to 2023!

Closing Out Another Year and Looking Forward to 2023!

As I write this post, I still cannot believe how fast time has flown this year. We've all seen a lot of change over the past 12 months. Still, throughout it all, we are proud that Friends LA has remained committed to our mission and purpose - to empower youth facing adversity with long-term, individualized mentoring that instills positive life skills and keeps families together.

We are proud to be the premiere organization providing the highest quality paid mentorship and care to the most vulnerable children in our community, and we couldn't have done it without your support.

Over the Past Year

This past year was a whirlwind for all of us. With the economy continuing to impact underserved populations, war breaking out across the globe, and a global pandemic still raging on, many issues have been fighting for attention. But our community of donors and supporters has been incredibly responsive.

Thanks to you, we have provided over 1000 hours of mentoring to over 70 of Los Angeles' most vulnerable youth. As a result, we supported 92% of our youths enrolling in post-secondary education, kept 93% of them safe from involvement in the juvenile justice system, and enabled 83% of our kids to receive their high school diplomas.

We are grateful to all of you who have generously opened your hearts and donated. With each gift, you have been part of a lasting impact on the lives of our children and their families.

And we can't forget the most transformational gift we received this year from MacKenzie Scott. Her donation of $2.9 million will allow us to expand our reach and impact in ways we've never imagined.

We are so grateful for the support of our community, and we look forward to making an even more significant impact together in 2023.

Our Resolutions in the New Year

As we look ahead to the new year, we recognize that there are still many challenges that our communities face. Therefore, we are committed to increasing the number of youths served, expanding the number of mentors, and increasing the capacity of our services.

We plan to do this by:

• Recruiting and retaining more volunteers,
• Expanding our reach to serve more children in need, and
• Developing innovative strategies to provide the most effective and meaningful support to the families we serve.

In 2023, the future of Friends of the Children Los Angeles will be brighter than ever, thanks to our generous donors and volunteers. We wish you all a Happy Holidays and New Year, and we look forward to a new year full of hope and possibilities.

From all of us at Friends LA,

Jorie Das

How You Can Continue to Support Friends LA

If you want to support us, here are some of the ways that you can:

1. Make a financial contribution by donating online.

2. Become a volunteer at one of our upcoming events.

3. Share our mission with your friends and family.

4. Attend one of our annual fundraising events.