Friends of the Children - SF Bay Area Presents Hope & Belonging in the Bayview

Friends of the Children - SF Bay Area Presents
Hope & Belonging in the Bayview - Bridging the Post COVID Divide

Friends of the Children - SF Bay Area, Friends of the Children - SF Bay Area, an organization dedicated to supporting children in and around Bayview Hunters Point as they break the generational cycle of poverty, is pleased to announce details for Hope & Belonging in the Bayview - Bridging the Post COVID Divide. The virtual town hall event will take place on May 18, 2021 from 5:00 – 6:30 pm. Moderated by Priya David Clemens, Host of KQED’s Newsroom and featuring panelists Maria Su, Executive Director of SF Department of Children, Youth and Their Families; Dion-Jay Brookter, Executive Director, Young Community Developers and Member, SF Police Commission; Gabrielle Theobald-Anderson, Social Worker at Hillcrest Elementary School; and Frédérique Clermont, Director of Programs, Friends of the Children - SF Bay Area. This important conversation among San Francisco thought leaders will address the challenge of bridging the divide between communities like Bayview Hunters Point and other more affluent neighborhoods. The online event is free to attend, but reservations are required and can be made at friends-sf.org/Town_Hall_Event/.

COVID-19 has further widened the economic and academic divide between communities like Bayview Hunters Point and the rest of San Francisco. Friends of the Children - SF Bay Area invites the public to join this Town Hall meeting and learn how, as we all start to emerge from the pandemic, The City, the School District and Friends of the Children are working hard to bridge that divide.

“The children in our program already face tremendous barriers, and now they are coping with additional issues resulting from the fallout of COVID,” said San Francisco Co-Founder and Executive Director Michael Rugen. “We are grateful for our partnerships with The City, SFUSD and others who support those children during this extraordinarily challenging time.”

Friends of the Children serves children in and around Bayview Hunters Point who face the biggest barriers, pairing each child with a salaried, Professional Mentor who works full time with eight children, starting with each child in kindergarten and walking beside them all the way through high school graduation – 12+ years, no matter what! This long-term, professional approach provides the consistent, stable presence that children need. Friends - SF Bay Area is meeting the challenges posed by the COVID crisis, finding new and innovative ways to serve children and families effectively during this time of immense need. The pandemic has only magnified the educational, social, racial, and health disparities that these families face, making their work more important than ever. For event details, sponsorship information, and to RSVP, please go to friends-sf.org/Town_Hall_Event/ .

WHAT:
Friends of the Children - SF Bay Area Present Hope & Belonging in the Bayview – Bridging the Post-COVID Divide
A virtual town hall discussion with San Francisco thought leaders

WHERE:
Online at friends-sf.org/Town_Hall_Event/

WHEN: May 18, 2021, 5 to 6:30 pm


WHO:
MODERATOR:
Priya David Clemens, Host of KQED’s Newsroom

PANELISTS:
Maria Su, Executive Director SF Department of Children, Youth and Their Families

Dion-Jay Brookter, Executive Director, Young Community Developers; Member, SF Police Commission

Gabrielle Theobald-Anderson, Social Worker, Hillcrest Elementary School (one of four Friends of the Children partner schools)

Frédérique Clermont, Director of Programs, Friends of the Children - SF Bay Area

TICKETS:
The event is free, but reservations are required at friends-sf.org/Town_Hall_Event/

INFO:
To learn more about Friends-SF, please go to friendssfbayarea.org or contact Susan Corlett, Development & Communications Director, 510-701-2250, or email at SCorlett [at] friendssfbayarea.org.

Instagram & Twitter: @friendssfbay
Facebook: facebook.com/FriendsBayArea

About Friends of the Children
Friends of the Children – SF Bay Area opened its doors in Bayview Hunters Point in 2017 and will soon be serving 120 children who live in and around that community. Friends of the Children serves children whose families face the most daunting barriers. By hiring full-time Professional Mentors to walk beside each child for 12+ years, Friends of the Children helps children break these cycles and find the pathway toward success. The results speak for themselves:

• 83% of our youth graduate high school
• 93% avoid the juvenile justice system
• 98% wait to begin parenting until after their teen years
• 92% move on to college, full-time employment or enlistment in the military

A study by the Harvard Business School Alumni Association concluded that every $1 invested in Friends of the Children yields $7 of benefit to society.

For more information, visit Friends of the Children – SF Bay Area.

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