Friends of the Children - Austin

Friends of the Children - Austin Breaking the cycle of generational poverty by pairing professional mentors with children facing the greatest obstacles for 12+ years, no matter what.

At the end of this school year, Widén Elementary School will be closing its doors, a significant loss for the local comm...
05/29/2026

At the end of this school year, Widén Elementary School will be closing its doors, a significant loss for the local community. Widén was one of our very first referral partners, and their early belief in our program helped lay the foundation for the work we do today. We are grateful for every year of partnership.

Many Widén students in our program will be heading to Rodriguez Elementary next year, another partner school where Friends Austin has a strong presence. That means familiar, friendly faces will be waiting on the other side of this change.

This spring, we got a head start on that transition, with Friend Adrian sharing that Josue* had a fun time showing Tanner* and Nathan* around their new school. Their favorite part was gym, of course. During art class, they were given a prompt to write a message on a rock for the next person to find when they arrive at Rodriguez next year. Leave it to these kids to write 67 all over theirs. 😄

We are proud to walk with our youth through every transition, big and small.

*Names changed to protect privacy.

05/28/2026

In part one, Zora* asked the questions. Now it is Jasmine’s turn.

When Jasmine asked Zora what she has learned from their time together, Zora did not hesitate: Keep going and always believe in yourself. She also shared that when you have a mentor, you always have someone who cares for you and will show up for you, no matter what.

*Youth name changed for privacy.

Spring means graduations, celebrations, and a whole lot of well-earned pride. 💐 From Math Maestros and Scientific Explor...
05/27/2026

Spring means graduations, celebrations, and a whole lot of well-earned pride. 💐 From Math Maestros and Scientific Explorers to Runner's Club honorees and beyond, our youth walked away from this school year with some incredible achievements to their names.

To every young person we serve, from those heading into kindergarten this fall to those stepping into high school, we are so proud of you. Our Friends will be right there cheering you on next year, and every year after that. 12+ years, no matter what.

It is that time of year again: Field trips, class parties, and a whole lot of well-earned excitement! Our Friends have b...
05/21/2026

It is that time of year again: Field trips, class parties, and a whole lot of well-earned excitement! Our Friends have been right alongside their youth for all of it, in the classroom, out in the community, and everywhere in between.

There is plenty to celebrate when looking back on another school year of showing up, working hard, and growing together. We cannot wait to see what this summer brings.

Last month, our staff traveled back in time. Well… sort of. Our People & Culture team pulled off an incredible Back to t...
05/20/2026

Last month, our staff traveled back in time. Well… sort of. Our People & Culture team pulled off an incredible Back to the Future themed team-building day right here at the Clubhouse.

Staff were divided into teams and worked together to solve puzzles, answer trivia, and complete challenges, all in a race to fix the timeline that Biff destroyed. In the end, the Green Team took home the win for their style, extra effort, and quick thinking. Congratulations!

Days like this remind us how much we value the people who make this work possible. Building trust and community within our team makes us better for the kids and families we serve every single day.

May is National Foster Care Month, a time to recognize everyone who plays a role in supporting children, youth, and fami...
05/18/2026

May is National Foster Care Month, a time to recognize everyone who plays a role in supporting children, youth, and families touched by the child welfare system.

This cause is close to our hearts. Today, 116 children in our program, 52% of those we serve, have been impacted by the child welfare system. In Travis County, 45% of children under 12 re-enter foster care within five years of reunifying with their families. Due to the stability that comes from having a consistent, caring Friend in their corner, not a single child enrolled in our program has returned to foster care.

None of this happens without partnership. We are grateful to CASA of Travis County, Casey Family Programs, and Center for Child Protection the for helping us reach children at a pivotal moment in their lives.

We believe every child deserves a champion. This month and every month, we are committed to being just that.

Learn more about our work in foster care in our 2025 Gratitude Report:https://d2raej5j80g9a3.cloudfront.net/austin/Resources-Documents/Friends-Austin-2025-Gratitude-Report_Work-in-Foster-Care.pdf

Ready to relive all those "Viva Las Vegas!" memories? A full recap of the eighth annual Dinner with Friends is available...
05/15/2026

Ready to relive all those "Viva Las Vegas!" memories? A full recap of the eighth annual Dinner with Friends is available on our website.

We are incredibly grateful for our Dinner with Friends Co-Chairs, Ali Atlas and Lauren Liggett, all our sponsors, table hosts, the Friends Austin Board of Directors, and all who contributed to helping make this year's Dinner with Friends a resounding success.⁠
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A special thank you goes to our generous corporate sponsors for their commitment to our mission and consistent support of Friends Austin! Thank you to: ⁠
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• Presenting "Royal Flush" Sponsor: Vista Equity Partners⁠
• Four of a Kind Sponsor: Kirkland & Ellis⁠
• Full House Sponsors: Tory & Milam Newby and Vinson & Elkins
• High Roller Sponsor: EY⁠
• Lucky 7 Sponsors: AllianceBernstein and Vela Wood⁠
• Raffle Sponsors: Higginbotham and J.P. Morgan Private Bank
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Be sure to check out a full recap and photo gallery from Dinner with Friends here: https://friendsaustin.org/get-involved/events/2026-dinner-with-friends
⁠
📷️ by Collin Findlay Photography

05/14/2026

We love seeing the relationships between our youth and their Friends come to life. In this first installment of a two-part series, Zora* interviews her Friend, Jasmine, asking her what drew her to this work and what advice she would give her younger self.

Stay tuned for part two, where Jasmine gets to ask the questions!

Every year, Friends and their youth sit down together to set Roadmap Goals, mapping out what they want to work toward in...
05/13/2026

Every year, Friends and their youth sit down together to set Roadmap Goals, mapping out what they want to work toward in the year ahead. Health and wellbeing is one of those focus areas, and Mario* is owning it. He's playing 1v1 and HORSE during school visits with his mentor Luis, and he just got his very first basketball. Watching him embrace the game and invest in his own wellbeing has been a joy.

While Friends Austin prepared to welcome attendees for an evening of "Viva Las Vegas!" at Dinner with Friends last week,...
05/07/2026

While Friends Austin prepared to welcome attendees for an evening of "Viva Las Vegas!" at Dinner with Friends last week, our youth were honing their card game skills at the Clubhouse! Senior Professional Mentors organized opportunities for adolescent youth and their Friends to gather and play cards. Whether they played War, Speed, or Spoons, youth and their Friends could come together and build community while learning new strategies and skills.

As our youth grow older, we strive to create tailored, intentional opportunities for adolescents to spend time with their Friends and continue building support systems across the program with other teens and mentors.

One Friend, Luis, highlighted the importance of this moment: "The biggest win was getting Dominic* to do our first outing together!" Congratulations to our card tournament winners and to all the youth who joined for the card tournament. 🃏

Address

1023 Springdale Road
Austin, TX
78721

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15127176701

Website

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