The center honors the organization's founders, who launched the initiative in 1993 to address systemic challenges through long-term professional guidance. Beyond serving as a local campus, the building functions as a research and training hub designed to scale the nonprofit’s impact. The project reached completion through the support of two-dozen private donors and foundations, highlighted by a $5 million contribution from Gary and Christine Rood.
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Friends of the Children Opens National Mentoring Hub in Portland
In Portland’s historic Albina neighborhood, the new Duncan and Cindy Campbell National Center of Excellence marks a strategic shift for youth advocacy. The facility, located at 65 NE Stanton St., now serves as the global headquarters for Friends of the Children, aiming to standardize professional mentoring practices worldwide.
CEO Terri Sorensen emphasizes that the space will act as a collaborative venue for thought leaders to refine mentoring strategies. The organization plans to use the facility to advance three core pillars: improving developmental outcomes in mental health and literacy, launching a professional mentoring certification program, and establishing a center for technical training. By centralizing operations, the nonprofit seeks to transform how communities address generational poverty through its signature model of salaried, 12-year mentorship commitments.
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