Friends of Children of Walla Walla focuses on the well-being of children in the area, by providing school- and community-based programs that help youths socially and academically through one-on-one relationships.
“We are purveyors of hope and resilience for kids,” said Jim Byrnes, executive director.
Many children have adverse childhood experiences, called ACES, including verbal and physical violence, poverty, neglect, bullying and more. And many parents have their own set of emotional ACES interfering with their lives.
The three-person Friends staff enlists the help of hundreds of volunteers to reach out to children who need some extra care. Volunteers are screened with a background check and have completed extensive training before they are matched with children of the same gender with similar interests. Children may be recommended for the program by school counselors or teachers.
Byrnes has been in the director’s position for three years. During this time the number of volunteers has increased by 80 percent, he said.
“This includes a lot of folks that were kids who have graduated from the program and come back to help,” he said.
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