POLSON — Friends of the Children is celebrating one year of working on the Flathead Reservation.
"We're getting to serve children in the community that need it the most," Friends of the Children program director Nicole Callahan told MTN.
At the organization's Polson clubhouse, kids hailing from Dayton to Dixon do all sorts of activities.
Hear the secret behind Friends of the Children success:
"Some of the kids come in and they refer to it as a home sweet home," Callahan said.
But the most important part is spending quality time with their mentors.
"I've had a few people in my life that I've looked up and still look up to. A lot of the boys that I have, they have strictly female households, and so having a male role model in their lives is very important," mentor Bubba Bush said.
Mentors stick by the children through thick and thin, providing emotional support for years of their lives.
"Research shows that children do best when they have one consistent adult relationship in their life," Callahan explained. "They're attending classroom time, they're going to lunch and recess, supporting with classroom behavior, social emotional development, peer interactions, and then they're also out in the community or here," she continued.
As one of just a few Indigenous-led Friends of the Children programs in the country, mentors also instill important cultural values. The organization has an overseeing board made up of elders and leaders.
"This is your homeland, this is what you're working towards, and this is where you're from, this is who you are, you know, and it builds for your future," Bush detailed.
This July, they've officially completed their first 365 days of serving the Flathead Reservation.
"Our goal is to continue to grow every year. We are enrolling an additional 16 children," Callahan said.
A few participant spots remain for this upcoming year.
Additionally, Friends of the Children is always open to including more committed mentors.
