Fotc -- Los Angeles

Too many children touch the foster care system. More than 30,000 children in foster care in L.A. County places our region first in the nation. Generation after generation, children, and families find themselves stuck in poverty. Particularly for the thousands of children and families at risk of experiencing foster care – and the thousands for whom foster care does become a harsh reality – the problem of poverty is amplified by a myriad of factors that include inadequate public systems, under-resourced schools, criminal justice, hunger, and homelessness. These children and families who experience trauma or who face great adversity encounter a lack of equity and opportunity, and most of the services available lack the intensity and duration needed to change their life trajectories. There are many efforts underway to keep children in safe, loving homes with parents and caregivers. In recognition of the many areas of need, we launched the L.A. chapter to provide a new, innovative method to prevent child entry into foster care.

Historically, Friends L.A.’s “continuum of care” through 2Gen was comprised of a range of separate referral resources to outside programs to meet distinct needs. Today, we envision a more holistic approach to supporting young people to make investments in their lives—Friends LA’s new 2Gen approach is a program comprised of integrated service components that together will move youth and families toward long-term stability. These services will assist youth in the attainment of the organizational outcomes described previously: housing stability, a system of support, financial stability, and wellness. We have established three strategic priorities that bolster our capacity to support more youth and families with our 2Gen Model.

1: Strategic Priority 1: Scale New and Existing Locations
2: Strategic Priority 2: Grow 2Gen Impact
3: Strategic Priority 3: Scale Collaborative Partnerships Through Systems Change

Each of the initiatives outlined as a Strategic Priority is focused on a specific aspect of Friends L.A.’s service delivery system or organizational functioning. Taken together, they will result in a streamlined and efficient program experience in an environment that allows the organization, staff, children, and families to focus their time, energy, and resources on the achievement of long-term stability for participants. We will maintain and strengthen our core services by building on our experience and expertise, proven best practices, and continuous learning.

Chief among our priorities is ensuring we fulfill our promise to all the children and parents currently receiving support and scheduled for enrollment in the coming years. With regional sites in both Antelope Valley and South L.A., we are looking to sustain and scale our chapter across the county in child welfare hotspots by leveraging an infusion of private and public capital to pair as many deserving children with a Friend.

We recognize that the large-scale initiatives outlined for significant investment by all our stakeholders: staff to shift how they work individually and as teams, and leadership to manage clear performance metrics in all areas of the organization. We ask our friends and supporters in the community to join us in our commitment to a better future for our young people, to champion our growth, and to invest in the next generation of Friends L.A.

Friends of the Children—Los Angeles (Friends LA) proactively selects children ages 4-6 facing the most significant barriers to future success. Using a rigorous process, validated by research as effective for identifying children facing the greatest obstacles, we select children with the help of providers within the child welfare community. We provide children and families with intensive, individualized guidance from full-time, highly trained, salaried mentors (called Friends) for 12+ years. From ages 4-6 through graduation - no matter what. Our model is premised on years of research, showing that relationships with stable, caring adults – both positive parenting and the practice of mentoring -- can prevent and mitigate childhood trauma, increase the parent and caregivers’ knowledge of their child’s development, improve parent-child relationships, and prevent entry into foster care.