Friends Austin brought youth, families and professional mentors together for a summer party that brought our entire community together. This year’s end-of-summer celebration at Urban Air brought together 124 youth and 337 of their caregivers, siblings, and closest friends for obstacle courses, climbing walls, laser tag, ball pits, trampolines and dinner.

A carefree night spent laughing with trusted adults, surrounded by people who know them well, is more meaningful than it might appear from the outside. It gives families a chance to reconnect, mentors a chance to share in the fun, and children the freedom to just be kids.

That's what long-term mentorship looks like. It isn't a collection of major events. It's years of showing up in ways both big and small until a child knows, without question, that someone will be there.

The school year will bring new challenges, new goals, and new opportunities. But it begins with a community that spent one last summer evening making memories together.

A Note from a Friend
My youth and their families had an amazing time. One of my favorite moments was hearing Talton’s mom share how happy she was to see the program grow and recognize neighbors who are also part of it. I encouraged her to connect with them, and she said, “That’s right, it is up to us to build community, because community is all we have.” A beautiful reminder that the work we do is about connection, belonging, and building community together.

Luis M. Friend