or below to read our full 2012 Annual Report - Friends of the Children

Dear Friends of Friends,
I am pleased to share this special annual report with you during a very important
time for Friends of the Children. Friends is celebrating its 20th anniversary
in 2013, and in this annual report we are pleased to share memories from 20
individuals and groups who have been, and continue to be, essential in creating
the successful organization we are today.
In December of 2012, the Portland Business Journal announced that in their
annual poll of 2,000 CEOs, Friends of the Children was named “Oregon’s
Most Admired” nonprofit organization. We have been thrilled to be in the top
ten for the last six years, and were humbled when we were named number one.
Oregon CEOs believe in Friends of the Children because of the tremendous
return on investment that we create for our community. We are pleased to share
that the Harvard Business School Association of Oregon generously donated
their time again last year to update their ROI analysis, and this time the results
were even more compelling when the ripple effect on siblings, classmates, and
future generations is factored in.
This year Friends of the Children is celebrating 20 years of Mentor Power!
This unique phrase, created for us by the talented team at Wieden+Kennedy,
signifies all of the many ways that our innovative model changes the lives of
our community’s most vulnerable children. Mentor Power! means a caring
relationship for 12 ½ years, no matter what. Mentor Power! means breaking
generational cycles of poverty, incarceration, and early parenting. Mentor
Power! is the inspiration to create a better future.
As I read through these pages, I am truly in awe of the diverse group of talented,
dedicated, and passionate people who have made 20 years of Mentor Power!
possible. Our success is due to the many contributions of past and current staff
members, Board members, volunteers, and donors like you.
Thanks to our community, Friends of the Children works! Our annual third
party evaluation shows that 85% of our youth graduate from high school, 97%
avoid the justice system, and 98% avoid early parenting.
Thank you for making 20 years of Mentor Power! possible, and thank you
for helping us look ahead to another 20 years. With your continued support,
we will make a real and measurable impact in the lives of more of the most
vulnerable youth in our community.
Warmest Regards,
Terri Sorensen, President, Friends of the Children
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