About Us

History & Founder’s Message

Friends & Helpers was started in 1992 in Southern California. Our Founder herself learned during her first marriage that being abused robs you of self-esteem, and often those closest to you don’t have any idea what you are experiencing. There are no glamorous events or celebrity-attended dinners to raise money for those abused. Survivors of abuse are often forgotten and they are left alone to somehow tear themselves out of that situation without help.

Abuse can strike anyone and anywhere; spouses, parents, children and teens can fall victim to abuse. When the survivors do get brave enough to finally leave their abusive situation, many flee with their kids and the clothes on their backs to counseling centers and shelters. We work with many of the centers and help provide love and support for those people and help them remember that they DESERVE to be loved. They are provided with a safe place to stay, clothes, food, love and support to help get them back on their feet.

That first year we started with providing a happy Christmas and Chanukah for mothers and their children who had no money, and no way of getting necessities, let alone gifts for their children. We had a small Christmas tree in our home and invited all our friends over to help us. On the tree we placed small cards with the exact gifts that those families wanted, provided to us by a counseling center. Each of us picked a family and immediately went shopping for the families. When we returned home, everyone wrapped their gifts and got them ready to be delivered to the center. The counseling center made it possible for the mothers to pick up the gifts, and on Christmas morning, or for Chanukah, their children smiled as they opened gifts from Santa or from their own moms or dads. Our Holiday program is still our biggest event of the year.

Since that day, we’ve provided a Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah for thousands of families!

We’ve also added many new programs including a Back-To-School program to help underprivileged kids, a teen support program, a Mother’s Day program, and an Easter program. In addition we also support various churches and synagogues, and we do our best to respond to individual requests throughout the year.

Mission Statement

The Friends & Helpers Foundation offers assistance to less fortunate souls who find themselves involved in domestic violence. We are here to help, regardless of age, sex, religion, or ethnicity. We are in our 20th year working with several specific abused women and children’s centers throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. Every year we focus on Christmas and Chanukah, Mother’s Day, Easter, back-to-school, and general need throughout the year

Our goal is to support and encourage women, teens and children (and sometimes men), all of whom are trying to help themselves out of a violent, hurtful situation. However, the strength that they need to change their lives comes from self-esteem, and a life of abuse robs them of this healthy view of themselves as most of them blame themselves for their situation.

At this point in their lives, the impact made on them by unknown strangers giving them items that we consider insignificant, like a new toothbrush, lipstick, or a brand new pair of shoes, is immeasurable. We try to help them feel loved, and more importantly, we try and help build back up their own belief that they deserve to be loved. We encourage them to stop blaming themselves, and we encourage them to get further counseling. We also encourage further training with job interview skills and job placement so they can begin the difficult process of starting a new life.

We are a unique grass roots charity organization with absolutely NO overhead or business expenses that are not being donated by our friends and helpers.You can be assured that whatever you give in time, money, or gifts, 100% goes entirely to someone who really needs it. The challenge is that more and more women and children are seeking help and each year Friends and Helpers must expand to fit the growing needs of these deserving souls.

Where Does your Money Go?

By donating their time, energy, and diverse skills, our volunteers have always been our most valuable assets. We have core volunteers who help out in our offices, provide website development, work on special events and pitch in year after year. GSO Management donates their professional management services to handle book-keeping for the organization. By giving their time so selflessly, they are an inspiring example to others and help ensure that every dollar donated goes directly to the families and teens.

Your donations have helped thousands of families through the years. We have helped and will continue to help and support these families and teens. The donations fund programs through the year such as the Back-To-School program for underprivileged kids, a teen support program, Mother’s Day program, Easter program and our largest event, the holiday Adopt a Family program. In addition, we also support various churches and synagogues, and we do our best to respond to individual requests through-out the year. What we do and how it changes peoples’ lives would not happen without your help.