The Friendly Center’s mission is to provide stability, opportunity, and hope to impoverished children and families. 25% of OC households live in poverty. For some, poverty is just one layoff, medical bill, divorce, or accident away; this is SITUATIONAL POVERTY. For others, poverty is a cyclical reality that generations of families struggle to escape; this is GENERATIONAL POVERTY. Those caught in this cycle are forced to focus solely on survival: getting enough food & paying rent. These children rarely see a family member advance at a job or benefit from education.