Friends of the Children Los Angeles
Friends of the Children Los Angeles is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing 12+ year professional mentorship and Two-Generation support to at-risk youth and families across Los Angeles County, funded by LA County contracts and foundation grants and serving 286 children.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Friends of the Children Los Angeles does
Friends of the Children - Los Angeles (Friends LA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a chapter of the national Friends of the Children entity founded in Portland, Oregon in 1993. Established in Los Angeles in 2017-2018, the organization provides long-term, professional mentorship to children facing systemic barriers, pairing each youth with a full-time, salaried mentor ("Friend") for a 12+ year commitment from kindergarten through high school graduation. Its distinctive Two-Generation (2Gen) approach simultaneously supports caregivers and families to break cycles of generational poverty and prevent foster care involvement. Reported outcomes include 92% post-secondary enrollment/workforce entry, 96% avoidance of juvenile justice involvement, 95% delayed parenting, and 93% of families previously at risk of child welfare involvement remaining out of the system since enrollment.
The chapter operates as a single integrated service model across four physical offices (Metro-South LA HQ, Antelope Valley, San Gabriel Valley/East LA, South Bay) and, as of May 2026, the San Fernando Valley, achieving coverage across every Service Planning Area in Los Angeles County. Technology is intentionally minimal; the model is built on human relational capital rather than software platforms, with standard nonprofit tooling (Google Analytics, Salesforce/Epic digital reading access for youth) supporting back-office operations. No proprietary technology stack, AI/ML capabilities, patents, or software products are in evidence.
Revenue mechanics are characteristic of a grant-funded nonprofit: the $13M three-year LA County Department of Mental Health expansion contract (2023) is the single largest revenue source, supplemented by a prior $2.1M three-year Antelope Valley contract (2019), foundation grants (Conrad N. Hilton Foundation $1.75M in 2018, MacKenzie Scott $2.9M in 2022, Elizabeth R. Koch Foundation portion of $2.4M in 2025), and corporate/individual donations. All services are provided free of charge to program participants. The go-to-market motion is community- and government-led: LA County DMH and DCFS act as primary referral channels, supplemented by community-based organizations, celebrity endorsements (Ciara/Russell Wilson, Chrissy Teigen), and earned media. The organization maintains four-star Charity Navigator and Candid Platinum Seal ratings and is led by Executive Director Jorie Das (appointed April 2022) with Peter Lizotte as Board Chair.
Friends of the Children Los Angeles firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Friends of the Children Los Angeles
- Legal name
- Friends of the Children – Los Angeles
- Website
- https://friendsla.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Friends of the Children Los Angeles is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing 12+ year professional mentorship and Two-Generation support to at-risk youth and families across Los Angeles County, funded by LA County contracts and foundation grants and serving 286 children.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Friends of the Children Los Angeles industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Mentorship Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH), Parent Support Groups & Peer Networks (EDACALAG)
Keywords
Where Friends of the Children Los Angeles is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Friends of the Children Los Angeles business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Foundation Grants: Major grants from foundations including Elizabeth R. Koch Foundation ($2.4M to 50 LA County nonprofits), MacKenzie Scott ($2.9M gift), and Conrad N. Hilton Foundation ($1.75M grant). These are major unrestricted gifts supporting operations and expansion.
- County Government Contracts: $13 million three-year expansion contract from LA County Department of Mental Health and $2.1 million three-year contract for Antelope Valley program from LA County.
- Individual and Corporate Donations: Donations from individuals, corporations including Starbucks Foundation, Dodgers Foundation, and various corporate partners. Organization accepts donations through website.
- In-Kind Support: Corporate partnerships providing goods and services including Buca di Beppo meal donations, Epic digital reading platform access, and event sponsorship.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
Friends of the Children Los Angeles product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Friends of the Children Los Angeles provides long-term, professional mentorship to children facing systemic barriers by pairing them with full-time, salaried mentors ("Friends") for 12+ years, from kindergarten through high school graduation. Services are delivered at no cost through a Two-Generation (2Gen) approach that simultaneously supports enrolled children and their caregivers across Los Angeles County.
Product overview
Friends of the Children – Los Angeles is a nonprofit organization that operates as a single, unified service model centered on long-term professional mentorship. The core offering is a 12+ year commitment program pairing children facing systemic barriers with paid, professional mentors ('Friends') from kindergarten through high school graduation. This is supported by a Two-Generation (2Gen) approach that works with both children and their caregivers simultaneously. The organization also provides specialized mental health support services and foster care prevention programming. All components integrate within a single program model rather than separate product lines or modules.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Long-Term Professional Mentorship Program Pairs children facing systemic barriers with a paid, full-time professional mentor (called a "Friend") for a 12+ year commitment from kindergarten through high school graduation, providing relationship-based, consistent support regardless of circumstances.
- Two-Generation (2Gen) Approach Works simultaneously with both children and their caregivers to stabilize families, strengthen communities, and address generational poverty through integrated mentorship and family support.
- Mental Health Support Services Provides long-term, relationship-based mental health support integrated within the mentorship model to support the wellbeing of children and families facing systemic barriers.
- Foster Care Prevention Program Prevention-focused mentorship program designed to keep children and families safely together and prevent foster care system involvement for high-risk families across Los Angeles County.
Quantifiable outcome
- 92% of youth go on to enroll in post-secondary education, serve our country or enter the workforce
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Friends of the Children Los Angeles
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Friends of the Children Los Angeles technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Friends of the Children Los Angeles partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Healthcore$13 million, 3-year expansion contract to nearly double chapter's impact to approximately 1,700 beneficiaries county-wide. Spearheaded by Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell.
- Epic (Digital Reading Platform)minorWorld's leading digital reading platform for kids hosted National Parents Day Off event with Chrissy Teigen, providing pampering experience for 15 Friends LA caregivers at The London West Hollywood.
- Chrissy TeigenminorCelebrity partner who surprised Friends LA families with prizes at National Parents Day Off event hosted by Epic, helping highlight the program to millions of followers.
- Foot Locker/Greenhouse/Awake NYminorFoot Locker donated $10,000 to NY and LA chapters along with footwear as part of Awake NY x Crocs collaboration. Partnership connects youth culture with social impact.
- Los Angeles County Department of Mental Healthcore$2.1 million three-year contract for Antelope Valley program to prevent children from entering the foster care system. Part of county's prevention service continuum supporting mental health and wellbeing of children and families.
- Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)coreKey referral partner for children at highest risk of foster care involvement. DCFS confidently refers children, especially those in crisis, knowing they will receive unwavering support.
- Buca di BeppominorItalian restaurant chain partnered for 4th consecutive year of Friendsgiving meal distribution, providing hearty meals to 51 households (269 individuals) in Antelope Valley.
- Aspen Institute Ascendminor2Gen Network member supporting two-generation approach to family wellbeing.
- LA County (General)coreLos Angeles County as a whole including Board of Supervisors who have consistently supported funding for Friends LA programs across multiple departments.
Scale indicators16 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Friends of the Children Los Angeles competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles: LA County chapter of the largest US youth-mentoring nonprofit, pairing volunteer adult mentors with at-risk youth. Directly comparable in target population, geographic market, and mission, though Big Brothers Big Sisters uses a volunteer (rather than salaried) mentor model.
- Boys & Girls Club of America - Los Angeles Area: National youth-development nonprofit with significant LA County footprint providing after-school and out-of-school programming for at-risk youth. Comparable in target demographic and countywide service model, though delivered via facility-based programming rather than 1:1 long-term mentorship.
- Children's Bureau of Southern California: LA-based nonprofit providing child welfare and family preservation services including foster care prevention. Direct overlap with Friends LA's foster care prevention mission and Two-Generation family stabilization approach in the same geographic market.
- First Place for Youth: California-based nonprofit supporting youth transitioning out of foster care - the same population Friends LA serves through children of former foster youth. Strong peer on mission alignment; the former Friends LA ED Thomas Lee joined First Place for Youth as CEO in 2021.
- Aspiranet: California statewide nonprofit providing foster care, adoption, mental health, and family support services. Comparable in foster care prevention mission, family preservation focus, and California geographic footprint, though operating at much larger scale.
Regional players
- Baby2Baby: LA-based nonprofit providing material support (diapers, clothing, essentials) to children living in poverty. Comparable in LA focus and support for at-risk families, and one of Friends LA ED Jorie Das's prior leadership roles; complements rather than competes with mentorship-based services.
- Child360: LA County-focused early childhood nonprofit supporting childcare providers and family engagement. Comparable in LA geographic scope and family-services orientation, but focused on early childhood rather than K-12 youth mentorship.
- LA's Best: LA-based after-school enrichment program serving elementary school children in highest-need communities, primarily funded through LAUSD partnerships. Comparable in LA County scope and serving at-risk youth, but delivered via after-school programming rather than intensive 1:1 mentorship.
Broad incumbents
- National Mentor Partnership (MENTOR): National umbrella organization that advocates for and convenes youth mentoring programs nationally. Friends LA operates under the national Friends of the Children network which is itself a MENTOR-affiliated affiliate; comparable as a sector peer rather than direct service competitor.
Emerging players
- Big Picture Learning: Nonprofit network supporting relationship-based, mentor-driven K-12 education models in high-need communities. Comparable in long-term, relationship-based educational support philosophy though operating inside schools rather than as community-based youth mentoring.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Friends of the Children Los Angeles social profiles
Digital presenceFriends of the Children Los Angeles compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Friends of the Children Los Angeles financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Friends of the Children Los Angeles leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Friends of the Children Los Angeles funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Friends of the Children Los Angeles M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Friends of the Children Los Angeles
What does Friends of the Children Los Angeles do?
Friends of the Children Los Angeles provides long-term, professional mentorship to children facing systemic barriers by pairing them with full-time, salaried mentors ("Friends") for 12+ years, from kindergarten through high school graduation. Services are delivered at no cost through a Two-Generation (2Gen) approach that simultaneously supports enrolled children and their caregivers across Los Angeles County.
Is Friends of the Children Los Angeles a public or private company?
Friends of the Children Los Angeles is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Friends of the Children Los Angeles founded?
Friends of the Children Los Angeles was founded in 2018. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Friends of the Children Los Angeles based?
Friends of the Children Los Angeles is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does Friends of the Children Los Angeles make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Foundation Grants are the primary driver. The others are county Government Contracts, individual and Corporate Donations and in-Kind Support.
Who are Friends of the Children Los Angeles's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, Boys & Girls Club of America - Los Angeles Area, Children's Bureau of Southern California, First Place for Youth and Aspiranet. Regional players are Baby2Baby, Child360 and LA's Best. National Mentor Partnership (MENTOR) is listed as a broad incumbent. Big Picture Learning is listed as an emerging player.
Does Friends of the Children Los Angeles have an API?
No public API is recorded for Friends of the Children Los Angeles.
What industry is Friends of the Children Los Angeles in?
Friends of the Children Los Angeles's product category is Youth Mentorship Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJALAL, Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs, with a secondary code of EDAJALAK, Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy). Its NAICS code is 624110 and its SIC code is 8300.