FRIENDS Association for Children was founded in 1871 by a former slave, Lucy Goode Brooks. She saw the need to create a nurturing space for the children struggling, in the aftermath of the Civil War, as orphans or in dislocated families. More than 140 years later, FRIENDS still provides for under-resourced children in their communities at Jackson Ward and Church Hill. They offer licensed childcare, summer camps, and afterschool enrichment including music and performing arts classes, as well as family support services. FRIENDS provides an encouraging space for childrenâs social, creative and cognitive development. For more information, visit http://friendsrva.org.