Changing the lives of vulnerable children...one child at a time.
Friends 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.
FOC 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.
FOC helps families 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.
Friends of Children has improved the lives of over 9000 children and their families by:
- Mentoring teens aging out of the foster care system
- Providing education advocacy and training to benefit special needs children
- Interim case coordination services for children with multiple special needs
- Initiating Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Programs in three western Massachusetts counties
- Operating 3Foster Dignity, 2 a multigenerational volunteer program providing new backpacks and personal items to more than 2000 foster children
- Writing and distributing several publications, including A CASA Legal Manual, A Parent’s Guide to Special Education, and Report of Friends of Children’s Child Health Care Advocacy Project
- Creating and sponsoring three full-day conferences on vital issues pertinent to children and youth.