Hands of Hope

Thanks to the generosity of Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, SCHEELS, Mary and Bill Underriner, The Echo Fund, and Kim and Pat Lewis, Friends of the Children – Eastern Montana launched in the fall of 2022. In collaboration with our partners, Billings and Lockwood Schools and DPHHS Child and Family Services, we have 32 enrolled children. We’re honored to walk alongside the children and families who will be part of our lives for the next 12+ years. We meet children between the ages of 4-6 and work with them and their caregivers for 12+ years - from pre-kindergarten through graduation and entry to post-secondary education and the workforce. We disrupt generational poverty and trauma, give children hope and belonging, and grow with each child.

We aren’t just changing the stories of children facing the highest risks. We’re changing the collective stories of Eastern Montana for the long run. Our work is focused on one child at a time, but it affects our entire community.

Our Land Acknowledgement

In alignment with the values of Friends of the Children – Eastern Montana, as an organization we acknowledge that our chapter is located on Apsáalooké (Crow) lands that were home to Indigenous people since time immemorial. We acknowledge that we will never be able to replace what was lost. In the operation of our chapter, we are committed to respecting the inherent sovereignty and unique cultures of the first peoples of this land.

Friends of the Children is a national nonprofit organization that selects and invites youth – all of whom have unique talents, interests and dreams, and face multiple systemic obstacles – to be paired with a paid, professional mentor called a Friend. We hire and train Friends to support our youth from as early as age 4 through high school graduation – 12+ years, no matter what.

Our model is distinct, courageous and proven. We revolutionized the youth mentoring field by creating the first and only long-term professional mentoring program in the country. 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 model is real, and it works.