A conversation with Milam Newby and Nancy Pollard on their work with Friends of the Children, a national youth mentoring organization, and its life-changing impact on kids facing adversity.
For more than 30 years, Friends of the Children has worked tirelessly in support of kids facing life’s greatest challenges. Tell us about how the organization works — and why it works so well.
Milam: At its core, Friends of the Children aims to break the cycle of generational poverty. Decades of data show that kids with the best chance of escaping this trap are those who have a long-term, consistent relationship with a caring adult. So, Friends works to provide those relationships to kids who most need this support.
Nancy: Right. Beginning in kindergarten, we pair these kids with paid, professional mentors, who we call “Friends.”
Every kid begins the program with three overarching goals for the next 12 years: graduating from high school with a plan for what’s next, avoiding the juvenile justice system, and waiting until after their teen years to become a parent.
And every week, Friends spend at least four hours of high-quality, one-on-one time with these kids — in school, at home, and in the community — to help them develop the skills they need to reach those goals.
There are numerous youth mentoring organizations — in Texas and across the country. How does Friends of the Children stand out?
Nancy: First and foremost, by the kids who we serve — those who face the most risks, and who lack the protective factors to counter them.
So, for example, kids who suffer from food insecurity, who live in dangerous neighborhoods, who attend underperforming schools, who are victims of abuse, who witness domestic violence, or whose parents are incarcerated.
These kids are least likely to reach the goals I just mentioned, and shorter-term and volunteer-based youth mentoring organizations aren’t fully equipped to support them.
Milam: I’d highlight our long-term commitment to the kids we serve: 12+ years — from kindergarten through high school — no matter what.
Another key element is that being a Friend is a full-time job. This enables the organization to set standards for qualifications and performance that are higher than what similar nonprofits relying mostly on volunteers can set.
How do you think about results?
Nancy: We’re very data-driven. Of course, we track our investments in the program and the kids we serve. But — and this is less common in our space — we also measure the quantitative return on those investments. As in, how the outcomes for kids in the program compare with the average for kids from similar backgrounds.
I’d imagine the returns have been strong.
Nancy: They have. About 98 percent of kids in the program wait until after their teen years to become a parent, 93 percent avoid the juvenile justice system, and 83 percent receive their high school diploma or GED. Each of those percentages is far higher than the average for kids with backgrounds similar to those we serve.
Milam: The economic impact is similarly compelling. Looking at the costs to the city of Austin when a kid drops out of school, becomes a teen parent, or gets caught up in the juvenile system … and then comparing those costs against what our Austin chapter spends to support one kid for 12 years … we found that for every dollar the chapter spends, more than four dollars returns to the Austin community.
Compelling indeed. Let’s talk more about Austin — you both have been heavily involved with the organization’s fast-growing presence there.
Nancy: This was initially a volunteer effort to raise money to launch an Austin chapter, led by myself and a friend, Rachel Arnold, a managing director at Vista Equity Partners.
No other local nonprofit was designed to catch the kids most likely to fall through the cracks, so the community welcomed our effort with open arms. And it wasn’t long before 50 families had made three-year pledges to help get the organization up and running.
Milam: A V&E alum introduced me to Nancy, and my initial involvement was to help set up the Austin chapter’s 501(c)(3) structure. I quickly became a big believer in the mission and model. So when she asked me to sit on the chapter’s founding board, it was easy to get to “yes.”
And the chapter has been growing ever since.
Nancy: It has. I was one of the Austin chapter’s first two staff members, alongside Marilyn Manzo-Dawson. Watching the chapter grow to 29 Friends mentoring nearly 200 kids — in just seven years — has been extraordinary.
What have been the big drivers of Austin’s success?
Milam: Having a proven model backed by a compelling story — that has been huge. So has ample support from our donors. Vista, for example, has been all-in since day one. And in 2022, the chapter received a very generous gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, which will help it deliver on the mission for years to come.
But for me, the key differentiator has been our people. Nancy has built an outstanding team, whose knowledge, skill, and experience have empowered the Austin chapter to implement the organization’s mission as well as any chapter in the network.
Nancy: Our people, absolutely. In many ways, we aim to operate the Austin chapter like a business — one that’s efficient, productive, resourceful, and forward-thinking. You don’t always see those qualities at nonprofits, but having people who embody them is essential for advancing our mission.
How has Vinson & Elkins been involved?
Nancy: Vinson & Elkins has been amazing, providing high-quality pro bono counsel in a wide range of areas: formation, corporate governance, employment, intellectual property, real estate, and government contracting, just to name a few.
Every V&E lawyer we’ve worked with has been thoughtful, responsive, and committed to our cause, and we’re immeasurably grateful for the firm’s continuing support.
You’ve been working to grow beyond Austin as well, if I recall.
Milam: Right. We launched a Houston chapter in early 2023, and will soon be opening one in Dallas — through Friends of the Children Texas, an umbrella chapter focused on expanding the organization’s presence in the state.
Vinson & Elkins has handled legal work for the Austin, Houston, and Texas chapters. Elizabeth McIntyre, who advised on a grant from the State of Texas, and Tim Johnston, who advised on the organizational documents for the Houston and Texas chapters, have both done superb work here.
On the governance side with me, firm partner Robert Hughes serves on the Houston chapter’s board. He and I are working closely with Nancy, in her capacity as the Texas chapter’s executive director, to accelerate the organization’s growth.
You both emphasized the value of people. What do you look for when hiring Friends?
Nancy: These hiring decisions are so important, and we take them as seriously as any decision we make. Beyond a baseline of three years of experience working with vulnerable kids, we look for people who can commit to the role for at least three years.
People who want to change kids’ lives, but who have yet to find the right role to do so. People whose background resembles those of the kids and families they might be working with. People who ideally are fluent in both English and Spanish.
So, people who will help ensure that the organization can support kids through high school graduation.
Milam: Exactly. And when we say 12-plus years no matter what, we really mean it. Sometimes that means chipping in with rent assistance. Sometimes it means helping put food on the table. Sometimes it means connecting kids with online classrooms at the onset of a pandemic.
Whatever it takes to put the kids you serve on a path to success.
Nancy: And to keep them there. What Friends do — it’s so much more than spending time with vulnerable kids. It’s instilling in them the qualities they need to develop into promising young adults who will create new generational opportunities in their families.
Qualities like how to solve problems and set meaningful goals. How to manage your emotions and build lasting relationships. How to explore your interests and improve yourself through dedication and effort. This is hard work — and it’s changing lives.
Any thoughts on the year ahead?
Milam: Growth will be top of mind for sure. Supporting more kids through the Austin and Houston chapters, launching in Dallas, and beginning work toward opening in other Texas markets. But — and this is important — we will grow only to the extent that we can do so sustainably.
Meaning …
Milam: Meaning, infrastructure before enrollment. We don’t enroll kids and then try to build the supporting infrastructure later. Instead, we build the infrastructure and then enroll kids — to ensure that we can support every kid in the program through high school and beyond.
Earlier this year, our Texas-based chapters were blessed to receive a grant from the State of Texas in support of our efforts to expand the Friends program. Thinking about that, along with the continuing commitment of new and longtime donors, it really feels like the sky is the limit, and we’re looking forward to enrolling many more kids in 2025.
Nancy: Totally agree. The work we do is for individual kids and their families. So, very much microlevel work. But in partnering with the state, we have a real opportunity to scale up.
An opportunity to demonstrate to a broader audience how effective our model can be, and to begin to solve the systemic challenges facing kids in our communities. We can’t wait to see how Friends of the Children grows — in Texas and nationwide — in the year ahead.
For more information about Friends of the Children, and to learn about how you can support a chapter in your community, please visit the Friends Texas website.
| Meet Milam Partner, Vinson & Elkins Board Member, Friends of the Children (Texas, Houston, and Austin) Law school: University of TexasHometown: Austin, Texas Favorite thing about working with Friends of the Children: Working with our incredible team — including our accomplished boards of directors — to change the lives of kids. Some favorite activities outside of work: Spending time with family, supporting Vinson & Elkins’ involvement in the Texas Law Pipeline Program, and all things University of Texas athletics. Meet Nancy Law school: Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law Hometown: Dallas, Texas Favorite thing about working with Friends of the Children: The caliber of the community we’ve built to support our kids and families, both the unparalleled staff and the extraordinarily committed board. Some favorite activities outside of work: Spending time with my family at the Frio River, attending Austin PBS’s Austin City Limits Live tapings, and advancing the work of Austin Pet’s Alive! |
