More than 25,000 young adults age out of foster care each year...Without families, without homes, without hope.
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friends of childrenFriends of Children, Inc., is an independent, non-profit child advocacy organization dedicated to improving the lives of children in Western Massachusetts. We’re a voice for children who have no one else to speak for them.

The organization was founded in 1988, when a group of concerned citizens began fundraising to support local children’s programs. Our focus shifted to include advocacy when the state closed its child advocacy agency, the Office for Children.

We help children in a rural, 3000 square-mile area that face many of the same issues that urban families do: there is violence at home and in the community, many kids drop out of school, and drug and alcohol abuse is very common.

Mission of Friends of Children:

Friends of Children, Inc. serves the needs of children through individual case advocacy and support of coordinated programs and policies to improve their lives.

Vision:

Our vision is that all children, especially those most vulnerable, have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential.  Key to this vision is that all children deserve the right to have a safe, consistent and nurturing home in which to live and access to essential services and quality educational opportunities, which will allow them to succeed.

Approach:

Friends of Children uses a broad range of strategies to get results and change conditions that limit children’s opportunities.  These strategies include:  conducting volunteer and professional case advocacy, helping empower older youth and parents, providing technical assistance and training, providing public education opportunities on issues related to vulnerable children and advocating at local, regional and state administrative and legislative levels.