Mission
The mission of Caring Friends Network (CFN) is to empower community residents and Adult English-Language Learners (ELL) to be proficient with language and to better understand important job and life skills, to draw out their best character and unique contribution to society.
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CFN works to assist local foreign-born residents in achieving educational goals and developing job and life skills. We accomplish our work through adult literacy, job training, and life skills coaching programs. Our desire is to collaborate with Adult Basic Education Administrators and Public Health Administrators who are already working on the front lines. Through tutoring and skills coaching, students of CFN become qualified applicants who fulfill important roles in the marketplace.
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The largest population served by CFN is immigrants and refugees, many of whom are from East and West Africa. Several of our program participants left places of distress and came to America with the hope of creating new lives for their families and becoming active members of American society. They seek meaningful, sustaining work as well as integrating into society. CFN’s mission uniquely addresses our population’s need for English literacy and focuses on betterment, training in soft skills, and empowerment to attain sustainable employment. The beneficial outcomes of our initiatives extend beyond the individuals and families to neighborhoods, communities, and businesses. CFN walks alongside these determined immigrants, helping them achieve their personal goals and drawing out their best contribution to society with excellence and integrity.

History
CFN has partnered and collaborated with Bloomington Public Schools since 2013, tutoring adult learners and English Language Learners (ELL) as they pursue their high school diplomas or community college courses. We have experienced a great need for Adult ELL students as they attempt to receive their driver’s license. Because of this need, we expanded our programming to partner with All Nations Drivers Training program that provides behind-the-wheel instruction and additional practice through a driving simulator. We provide proctors to sit with program participants as they learn to drive, utilizing this time to build relationships and further personal development.