Friends Association for Children

The mission of Friends Association for Children is to help children and families in the Richmond metropolitan area achieve their potential and become productive citizens. FRIENDS operates three facilities located in the Richmond communities where they are most needed, and unleashes potential for children and families aspiring against the odds.

The legacy of Friends Association for Children reaches back almost a century and a half, to shortly after the Civil War. Former slave, Lucy Goode Brooks, realized that growing numbers of children were orphaned and left homeless by the Civil War. Since 1871, FRIENDS Association for Children has been positively impacting the lives of some of Richmond’s most challenged children and families. FRIENDS continues to empower individuals, by focusing on improved literacy skills. Whether it’s through the Creative Curriculum offered in pre-school, after-school tutoring for youth, teen reading clubs, or innovative learning through music education, children are receiving necessary skills, and building confidence for their future success.

Through core programs, FRIENDS Association for Children changes lives.

FRIENDS serves low and moderate income families, in the neighborhoods where they live, primarily in low-moderate income households. We have developed programs designed to meet the needs of the whole family through various life stages. Programs developed towards this mission include Developmental Childcare, Positive Youth Development, Family Development Services, and Leadership and Career Advancement.