Friends of the Children–Chicago is taking a long-term approach to breaking cycles of poverty, trauma, and violence on the city’s West and South Sides by pairing children with full-time, professional mentors for more than a decade.
Executive Director Taal Hasak-Lowy emphasizes that the program goes beyond traditional volunteering, providing consistent, personalized support that helps children build life skills, succeed academically, and stay on a positive path into adulthood.
“We expanded to the South Side about three years ago. What we’ve seen is that many of the families we work with tend to be transient, they move around a lot because of interpersonal or community violence,” Hasak-Lowy said.
She said while families often move between neighborhoods, the challenges they face remain largely the same in both communities. Both areas are deeply under-resourced, with families contending with food and housing insecurity, interpersonal violence, limited transportation, and underfunded schools.
The program does not allow families to enroll on their own; staff instead proactively identify children facing challenging circumstances. Referrals come from schools, Illinois Department of Children and Family Services and community partners, focusing on youth as young as four to six. A central part of the approach is building trust with caregivers, which can take several months. This ensures that parents feel confident enrolling their children, knowing the program offers long-term, consistent support.
The organization does not receive federal funding directly, which has provided some insulation from current budget cuts, though COVID-related funds from the state and county have already been spent.
“We had hoped to qualify for out-of-school grants, but as Illinois faces reductions in federal support, the overall pool of grant funding is shrinking. That’s concerning. I deeply believe in what we do. No one serves children and families the way we do and while Chicago is a wealthy city overall, when public funding declines, we hope corporations and individual donors will step up to help fill that gap,” Hasak-Lowy said.
Sustainability is a top priority, with efforts focused on diversifying funding through partnerships with corporate sponsors, foundations, and individual donors. Leadership emphasizes sharing the program’s impact more broadly to show how early investment in children produces lasting results. By demonstrating the effectiveness of the model, they aim to inspire continued support and ensure long-term stability for mentors and youth.
Many of the board members and supporters, including board president Jeannie Affelder, come from Oak Park and River Forest, communities where residents move freely between neighborhoods and care deeply about the safety and well-being of their neighbors. This strong local involvement helps guide and support the organization’s work in Chicago by fostering a network of engaged and committed community members.
“They understand that if communities like Austin, right next door, don’t have their basic humanitarian needs met, there will be negative outcomes that affect everyone. Our supporters recognize that to create a thriving city, you have to start early by supporting children so they stay on a positive trajectory,” said Hasak-Lowy.
The program relies on full-time, paid mentors rather than volunteers, emphasizing that they are trained professionals rather than babysitters. Before working with youth, mentors complete a month of training focused on understanding how trauma affects the brain and behavior and on helping children regulate emotions and develop essential life skills.
“Each mentor works full time with a roster of eight children and spends about four hours a week one-on-one with each of them. That consistency and long-term commitment, staying with a child for 12 and a half years, is what transforms lives. They may not have the same mentor the entire time, but the program stays with them through graduation,” Hasak-Lowy said.
Being a champion, as defined by the organization, means that mentors greet each child with genuine enthusiasm and care, ensuring every young person feels seen, valued, and understood as an individual. Mentors celebrate successes while providing consistent support and love when children face challenges or make mistakes. The role emphasizes showing children their inherent worth and helping them feel supported and encouraged at every step.
“Across our network, 92% of our youth go on to postsecondary education, full-time employment, or military service. I often say we’re not just a mentoring program; we’re a human rights organization. No child is destined to be involved in violence,” Hasak-Lowy said. “If a family doesn’t have support, it’s no surprise that negative outcomes follow. But when you consistently love children, support them, and help them build skills, great things happen. It’s not a complicated equation, children on the South and West Sides of Chicago deserve the same level of support as any other child.”