Caring for a child means caring for their whole well-being, emotionally, academically, and physically. During both National Mental Health Awareness Month and National Foster Care Awareness Month, we are reminded how deeply connected those needs can be, especially for children navigating uncertainty and major life transitions.

For Maya*, a kindergartener enrolled at Friends – Phoenix together with her older sister, life felt especially overwhelming this past year. As her father prepared to return home after incarceration, Maya was carrying emotions she did not yet have the words to express. The changes happening around her showed up in big feelings, frustration, and difficulty processing what came next.

But at Friends – Phoenix, young people and families do not face those moments alone.

Maya’s professional mentor, Gaby, recognized early on that the family could benefit from additional support. Through Friends – Phoenix’s partnership with Southwest Behavioral Health, Gaby worked closely with Maya’s mother to help connect both girls to counseling services, removing barriers that might otherwise have prevented the family from accessing care.

Within weeks, the sisters began receiving free therapy support.

What followed was not a quick fix, but something far more meaningful: consistent care, trusted relationships, and space to heal. Over the past several months, therapy has provided both girls with a safe environment to process complicated emotions, ask difficult questions, and navigate a major transition in their family’s life. Their mother often shares with Gaby how grateful she is that her daughters now have access to mental health resources that once felt out of reach.

This is the heart of the Friends – Phoenix model.

For 12+ years, professional mentors walk alongside youth and families through life’s challenges and milestones alike. That long-term commitment allows mentors to build deep trust, recognize needs early, and connect families to resources that can change the trajectory of a child’s life. Whether it is showing up for a school meeting, celebrating a victory, or helping a family access mental health care, our mentors remain a consistent source of support, no matter what.

And the impact is real. In our 2025 youth survey, 96% of youth reported actively telling others and seeking help when they need it, an important reflection of the emotional safety, trust, and resilience being built through long-term relationships.

At Friends – Phoenix, we believe every child deserves someone who will walk beside them through both the joyful and difficult moments of growing up. For Maya and so many others, that steady support is helping create a future where they feel seen, supported, and never alone.

*Youth name changed for privacy.