Friends of the Children - Twin Cities

In 2024, Friends of the Children - Twin Cities began working with children ages 4 to 6 who have been impacted by systems like child welfare or the justice system. Our vision is that one day, every child in the Twin Cities area who is at highest risk of the long-term effects of childhood adversity will have a Friend – a long term, salaried professional mentor who stays with them from pre-school through high school graduation, 12+ years, no matter what.

Our model is distinct, courageous and proven. Friends of the Children revolutionized the youth mentoring field thirty years ago by creating the first and only long-term professional mentoring program in the country. Across our national network, we are experts in building sustained and nurturing relationships with youth. 

This is at the core of what we do. Each child gets a dedicated, one-on-one Friend who listens to their hopes and dreams. Friends empower our youth to set – and achieve – their goals. Friends also create meaningful experiences that empower youth to build life skills and make healthy choices while exploring the child's diverse talents and interests.

Our long-term outcomes from across our national network speak for themselves:

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.

We are excited to be bringing this impactful, proven program to the youth of Minneapolis and St. Paul!