Our Method
We select children who face multiple systemic obstacles. We amplify their voices as they write their own stories of hope and resilience.
Watch Jimmy tell his story!
Jimmy shares being a youth going through the Friends of the Children program.
Our Model
We commit to each child for the long-term.
12+ years, no matter what.
Each child is paired with a paid professional mentor called a Friend.
Our Outcomes
92% of youth go on to enroll in post-secondary education, serve our country or enter the workforce.
83% of youth earn a high school diploma or a GED.
93% of youth remain free from juvenile justice system involvement.
98% of youth wait to parent until after their teen years.
Founding Donors
Friends - Utah Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that this land, which is named for the Ute Tribe, is the traditional and ancestral homeland of the Shoshone, Paiute, Goshute, Navajo, and Ute Tribes. Friends of the Children – Utah recognizes and respects the enduring relationship that exists between many Indigenous peoples and their traditional homelands. We are grateful for the territory upon which we gather; we respect Utah’s Indigenous Peoples, the original stewards of this land; and we value the sovereign relationships that exist between tribal governments, state governments, and the federal government. In offering this land acknowledgment, we affirm Indigenous self-governance history, experiences, and resiliency of the Native people who are still here today.