We are proud advocates and serve on the Board of Directors for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because we know our Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join us in supporting this amazing cause!

Since the moment I drove by a billboard for Friends of the Children ("Friends") in downtown Portland, I have been amazed by and grateful for the invaluable work that Friends does for the children and the central role that it serves in the community. I wanted to get involved because every child deserves a fundamental stake in their future and I understand what one decision, whether it is controllable or not, can have one's development. I began working with Friends in Portland by tutoring kids and helping out with events such as the annual fundraiser. Since then, I have committed to the San Francisco chapter as an early Young Professional Board Member to stay involved, contribute to the mission, and ultimately advocate for these children. As our society continues to navigate this new normal, Friends' mission and model reminds us powerfully why this fundraiser is so vital: breaking the cycle of generational poverty, one child at a time, by committing to each child for the long-term, 12.5 years, no matter what. These children are now facing the "no matter what" and need more support from their mentors and communities than ever before. With your contribution, these children will be able to advantage of distributed learning with laptops and consistent Internet access, have access to hot meals, and just be children.

I became a Professional Mentor for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I am committed to walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so our support is more important than ever. I am proud that we have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and provide a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Staff for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know our Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Our Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I became a Professional Mentor for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I am committed to walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so our support is more important than ever. I am proud that we have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and provide a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I decided to become a Fundraiser for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know their Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I became a Professional Mentor for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I am committed to walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so our support is more important than ever. I am proud that we have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and provide a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause! These children need us now more than ever now! Please help us continue to serve our children when they need it most. Remember, every $1 you give today will yield $2 to support our children!

Last year was my first year being a Fundraiser for Friends of the Children - SF Bay Area. My initial goal was $1500, and I wasn't sure I would even make to half way, but due to the generosity of all my family and friends (like you), I revised the goal to $2500, and ended up with $3623 in total donations. I am asking you to help me achieve similar results this year!! Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Board of Directors for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know their Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I became a Professional Mentor for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I am committed to walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so our support is more important than ever. I am proud that we have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and provide a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Staff for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know our Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Our Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I became a Professional Mentor for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I am committed to walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so our support is more important than ever. I am proud that we have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and provide a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Staff for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know our Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Our Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

We are proud advocates and serve on the Board of Directors for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because we know our Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join us in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Board of Directors for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know their Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I became a Professional Mentor for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I am committed to walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so our support is more important than ever. I am proud that we have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and provide a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I became a Professional Mentor for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I am committed to walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so our support is more important than ever. I am proud that we have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and provide a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Young Professionals Board for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know their Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I became a Professional Mentor for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I am committed to walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so our support is more important than ever. I am proud that we have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and provide a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Staff for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know our Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Our Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

The Kiwanis Club of San Francisco decided to become a Fundraiser for Friends of the Children – SF Bay Are because we know their Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

This past year I joined Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area's Young Professional Board because the work they do is crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty through their dedicated and innovative mentorship program.I am trying to raise $500for this year's crowd-funding event. For every $1 we raise, $2 will be allocated to help these children break the cycle of poverty and reach their full potential. So basically, if you all help me get to $500, we will have actually raised $1000!The coronavirus is creating additional barriers for our children’s caregivers, in terms of job security, medical care and ability to set aside money for the future. With the closure of SF’s public schools, our children have lost the safety and consistency of a structured academic environment, and easy access to daily hot meals, technology, and peer circles. Our mentors are not only continuing their work virtually as best they can, but have also become a lifeline for the whole family. Our children need their Professional Mentors now more than ever! Join me in supporting this amazing cause!

We were attracted to Friends of the Children for two reasons. First, we know of no other organization that proactively searches for and enrolls children who face the most daunting obstacles in life. Second, we realize that there are no quick answers to deeply embedded social problems like multi-generational poverty, so Friends of the Children’s unique, long-term commitment to each child – 12-1/2 years, no matter what! – resonated with us. Now, four years after Michael co-founded the San Francisco chapter, those two characteristics are more significant than ever. While the Covid-19 pandemic and economic downturn are ravaging the families served by Friends of the Children - SF Bay Area, the long-term relationships their Professional Mentors have built puts them in a unique position to walk beside each child and family, helping them meet these unprecedented challenges. Please join us in supporting Friends of the Children – SF Bay Area, so they can continue to serve the children and families who need it most, during this time of crisis and beyond. Thank You, Michael & Jeannine

I became a Professional Mentor for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I am committed to walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so our support is more important than ever. I am proud that we have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and provide a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Young Professionals Board for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know their Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Young Professionals Board for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know their Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

Each child dreams about what they want to be when they grow up. They light up as they talk about their future as an athlete, police officer, or teacher. However, one experience sticks out in my mind.While in college, I tutored local elementary students in reading and writing. One day, my 3rd grader was in rapt attention as I described the past weekend’s football game day coming down to the final play. At the conclusion of my story, I asked if he wanted to go to college. His eyes fell to the floor as they mumbled they wouldn’t be going to college. My heart dropped. How could someone so young feel a door has already closed on them?After I moved to San Francisco, I was telling this heart-breaking story to a friend. She promptly introduced me to Friends of the Children and how they provide professional mentors to children for 12+ years. This year in particular, the mentors have become a lifeline for families in addition to their children as they've volunteered to assist in transitioning to virtual school and providing meals for whole families.

We are proud advocates and serve on the Board of Directors for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because we know our Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, and helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join us in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Board of Directors for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know their Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!

I joined the Board of Directors for Friends of the Children - San Francisco Bay Area because I know their Professional Mentors are walking beside the children who face the biggest barriers in life, from kindergarten through high school graduation, helping them to break the generational cycle of poverty. COVID-19 has created additional medical, financial and emotional barriers for those children and their families, so the support of their Professional Mentors is more important than ever. Those Mentors have found innovative ways to continue mentoring children and have become a lifeline for their entire families during the pandemic. Please join me in supporting this amazing cause!