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Friends of the Children National Demostration Act

Date: April 27, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Unemployed and Low-Income Minors and Children


FRIENDS OF THE CHILDREN NATIONAL DEMONSTRATION ACT -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 27, 2005)

SPEECH OF
HON. EARL BLUMENAUER
OF OREGON
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2005

Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing the "Friends of the Children National Demonstration Act" that would authorize $7.5 million for Friends of the Children to support local program operations at existing sites and to disseminate findings to policymakers and other youth-serving programs, Friends of the Children is the only program in the nation that provides carefully screened full-time professional mentors to at-risk children for 12 years starting at five years of age,

This innovative program began in Portland, Oregon, starting in 1993 with 3 "Friends", mentors serving 24 children. Today, Friends of the Children serves over 600 children in 11 communities across the nation. The young people who participate are truly the most defenseless-they are children of poverty; they have been in foster care, on welfare, and have parents who are incarcerated or are homeless.

I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill and make a commitment to improving the lives of at-risk children.

http://thomas.loc.gov

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