World Champion Gymnast Simone Biles Celebrates Friends of the Children – Houston Launch

Youth advocate and world champion gymnast Simone Biles celebrated the launch of the new Friends of the Children – Houston site this morning at a Wheaties “Breakfast of Champions” event. Biles unveiled her second limited-edition Wheaties box at her home gym, the World Champions Centre, in Spring, Texas. The box celebrates Biles’ personal journey and her continued advocacy for children in foster care, including working with Friends of the Children to launch a new chapter in Houston.

“I am honored to be featured on my second Wheaties box and grateful for the opportunity to highlight Friends of the Children, an extraordinary organization that is working to make sure other youth have access to mentors and the support to dream big in life,” said Biles. “I hope my journey can be an example to all children that anything is possible, and I’m excited to help expand access to resources and mentorship in my hometown with the launch of the Friends of the Children—Houston chapter!”

Friends–Houston, under the leadership of Brandon T. Denton, M.B.A., will begin identifying and enrolling children in the greater Houston area to welcome its first cohort of youth ages 4 to 6 years old, and by extension their families, later this year. The chapter aims to partner with key institutions, including DePelchin Children’s Center, Houston Independent School District and Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. Their initial focus will be on supporting children and families in areas across Houston who have been disproportionately impacted by foster care and other systemic issues.

Joined by family, friends, and youth from Friends of the Children, Biles shared her personal journey with foster care and adoption to help inspire today’s youth to not let life circumstances define who they are or deter them from pursuing their dreams. The launch of Friends–Houston creates a larger footprint in Texas and marks the national organization’s 29th location overall. The organization launched Friends of the Children–Austin in 2017.

Read more about the launch of Friends of the Children – Houston and Simone Biles’ Breakfast of Champions here