Thank You for an Incredible Fall FRIENDraiser
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Last month, Friends – Utah hosted our first-ever Arts and Crafts FRIENDraiser, an incredible success that celebrated creativity and community! The event featured a stunning collection of over 160 donated pieces from 50 local professional artists and the talented youth we serve. Thanks to art sales, generous donations, and committed sponsors, the evening successfully raised more than $28,000.
These funds will help us continue providing resilient youth facing the greatest challenges with the connection and belonging of a dedicated professional mentor, we call a Friend, throughout childhood, from kindergarten through high school graduation.
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Beyond the funds raised, the FRIENDraiser provided a powerful platform to introduce new friends to the mission of Friends of the Children. A true highlight was centering the voices of our youth; they showcased their own creativity right alongside our community of local artists. A few youth attended the event with their Friend, and they absolutely lit up as guests showed interest and purchased their pieces. This powerful affirmation was a major boost to their confidence and a real encouragement to continue exploring their artistic potential.
We loved meeting so many new faces and watching our community come together to support the incredible youth we serve!
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A huge thank you to our lead sponsors: Cambia Health Foundation, O.C. Tanner and SCHEELS and generous support from First Utah Bank and America First Credit Union. THANK YOU FOR BELIVING IN OUR MISSION AND INVESTING IN OUR YOUTH’S FUTURES!
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Cayla* has a warm heart for animals, and that love shines through in her painting of her beloved stuffed animal fox named Pumpkin. Pumpkin is more than just a toy, he's Cayla's partner in adventure, joining her at school, summer camp, the park, and even for splashes in the river.
When she sat down to create this piece, Pumpkin was right on her desk! So it was a natural choice for her to capture her favorite fox on canvas.
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We were proud to feature Cayla's artwork as our signature graphic for the Arts and Crafts FRIENDraiser.
*Youth name changes to protect privacy.
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Call to Action Philanthropies Invests in the Future of Our Youth
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We are thrilled to announce a significant investment from Call to Action Philanthropies, whose commitment to strengthening early childhood mental health and wellbeing and belief in the Friends of the Children model is a powerful validation of our mission.
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This partnership is particularly meaningful because of Call to Action Philanthropies’ deep commitment to trust-based philanthropy. As a state leader in this authentic approach, they focus on building relationships based on mutual trust and respect to empower transformational change and allow us to focus on delivering our critical long-term mentorship program.
We believe every child deserves the chance to reach their full potential—because where you start, shouldn’t determine how far you go. Through vital partnerships like this one, we can continue to provide youth facing the greatest adversity with a dedicated, caring Friend from kindergarten through graduation. This sustained, 12.5-year commitment is how we unlock children’s potential, build stronger families, and ensure a brighter future for the next generation.
Thank you, Call to Action Philanthropies, for your confidence and support in making our work possible.
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Rowan*, one of the youth who attended the FRIENDraiser, charmed guests with his warm and outgoing personality. He contributed an art piece—a design on a canvas bag—and was beyond proud when a guest purchased his creation. Inspired by the "Fox" art created by another youth that was used as the signature graphic for the event, Rowan decided to enter his own photography into his school's PTA Art Contest with the theme, “I Belong.”
Student artists were asked to provide a statement to accompany their contest submission. Rowan's powerful quote reads, "I like this picture because I feel good in it. I belong everywhere on earth. I am loved because my family is a blessing. My teacher is really nice. Everything is nice." *Youth name changed to protect privacy.
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Round Up at Teton Toys for Friends - Utah in October
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This October we are excited to be a part of Teton Toys Round Up Program! When you shop at their Farmington location and round up your transaction to the nearest dollar, the change will be donated to support the youth and families enrolled here at Friends of the Children - Utah! But there's more...
Teton Toys Round Up Program is especially generous. Whenever you round up at the Farmington location through October 31, they will also donate the difference so Friends - Utah receives a full one dollar donation every time! Thank you Teton Toys for supporting youth and families in our community.
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We were thrilled to recently host Andrew Over, Director of Strategy & Operations at Cambia Health Foundation, and Kayla Norman, Community Engagement Manager, at our clubhouse! They visited just the day before our Arts and Crafts FRIENDraiser and took the time to add their own stitches to our Belonging Quilt!
Friends - Utah has been incredibly fortunate to receive generous and foundational support from Cambia Health Foundation and Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield since our chapter's launch five years ago. Their investment—through multiple sponsorships, employee giving, and board leadership (thanks, Stephen!)—has been vital to our success.
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We are deeply grateful for Cambia's partnership in our mission to strengthen families and build resilience for children facing health and wellbeing challenges. Their support has enabled us to make meaningful progress in building protective factors for the families we serve!
If you are interested in taking a tour of our Friends - Utah clubhouse, just reach out to Heather at hchilds@friendsutah.org.
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Our mailing address is:
Friends of the Children - Utah
5361 S 4220 W
Suite B
Kearns, UT 84118
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