Friends of the Children Opens New National Center for Youth Mentoring

PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 1, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Friends of the Children, the country's leading professional youth mentoring organization, has opened the Duncan and Cindy Campbell National Center of Excellence for Professional Youth Mentoring in Portland, Oregon. Located at 65 NE Stanton St., the center serves as both the Friends of the Children, National headquarters and the Albina campus for the organization's founding Portland chapter. Named in honor of the organization's founders who began Friends of the Children in 1993, the Center is designed to be a best-in-class, worldwide destination to advance the professional youth mentoring field. Built on over 30 years of organizational expertise, the global hub is dedicated to setting industry standards, building capabilities, and sharing best practices to support resilient youth facing systemic challenges.

The Center, which opened in June 2023, is a significant step in Friends of the Children's national journey. The organization's founders, Duncan and Cindy Campbell, began the organization in 1993, a time when long-term, positive relationships with professional mentors were not yet widely recognized as a powerful tool for transforming communities. The opening of the Center represents the next chapter in their national mission, allowing Friends of the Children to scale its impact, convene thought leaders, and ensure that professional youth mentoring gains national recognition as a powerful tool for transforming communities.

The Center's three strategic priorities include improving youth outcomes, establishing a first-of-its-kind professional youth mentoring certificate, and bringing together thought leaders to present key research and serve as a premier hub for training and technical assistance. The realization of the new Center was made possible by support from more than two-dozen foundations and private donors, including Gary and Christine Rood who gave $5 million toward its creation.

For more than 30 years, Friends of the Children has proven that a long-term, positive relationship with a professional mentor can not only change a child's life but also disrupt generational cycles. The organization's model emphasizes a 12+ year commitment that allows Friends to cultivate deep, trusting relationships with program participants, empowering them to build life skills and create generational change.

The Center's three strategic priorities include:

- Improving Youth Outcomes: Targeting key developmental metrics, specifically in mental health, literacy, and access to opportunities. - Academic Partnerships: Establishing a first-of-its-kind professional youth mentoring certificate. - Field Leadership: Bringing together thought leaders, presenting key research, and serving as a premier hub for training and technical assistance.

The Duncan and Cindy Campbell National Center of Excellence for Professional Youth Mentoring is a significant step in Friends of the Children's national journey, allowing the organization to scale its impact and ensure that professional youth mentoring gains national recognition as a powerful tool for transforming communities.