Friends of the Children NY (FOTC NY) is a unique early intervention program dedicated to helping New York City’s most at-risk children become productive, contributing members of their community. FOTC NY accomplishes this by employing full-time mentors, called Friends, to work one-on-one with the children, beginning in kindergarten or first grade and maintaining that relationship through high school graduation.

Established in 2001, FOTC NY has expanded the program from employing three Friends, serving 24 Children in one school in Harlem, to twelve Friends, serving 112.  The children attend 37 schools in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.

Consider this window into FOTC NY…When Ophelia smiles, she has a gaping hole where her front teeth used to be.  She is extraordinarily bright, testing at least two grades ahead in reading.  She is one of her mother’s four children at home, from three different fathers.  Her own father shot himself in the head playing Russian roulette, and she was present to identify his body.  Ophelia loves to read, to ask questions about the world and be silly.  Since she has been with Friends, Ophelia has gotten a library card and, with her Friend’s insistence and guidance, is in the process of applying to gifted and talented schools.  She has begun to talk about going to college one day.

FOTC NY has been selected to participate in the first longitudinal, randomized, controlled trial study of a long-term professional mentoring program.  The research portion of this landmark study is funded by a grant form the National Institute of Health.

FOTC NY is one of seven individually incorporated chapters, founded by Duncan Campbell in Portland, Oregon in 1993.  Mr. Campbell, a successful businessman is the product of a hard-scrabbled childhood.  The national office supports the replication of Friends of the Children around the country.  Currently there are chapters in Boston, Cincinnati, Klamath Falls (OR), Portland, Seattle, San Francisco and of course New York.

FOTC NY has received financial support from the following foundations, some of which are members of Philanthropy New York: The Pinkerton Foundation, Robin Hood Foundation, Theodore & Vada Stanley Foundation, New York Life Foundation, WT Grant Foundation, The Heckscher Foundation for Children, The Edith Glick Schoolman Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Stella & Charles Guttman Foundation, The Carl Marks Foundation, Theodor Luce Charitable Trust, Carson Family Charitable Trust, Raymond & Gladys Gilmartin Foundation, Stephen & May Cavin Leeman Foundation, J.C. Kellogg Foundation, Thrive Foundation for Youth, World Wide Wings Foundation, Hyde & Watson Foundation, Florence V. Burden Foundation and Daniel Berlin Foundation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svq5D2AF9QM