Simone Biles Turns Her Foster Care Story Into a $50,000 Gift for Friends of the Children

A Cause Rooted in Personal Experience

Simone Biles knows firsthand what it feels like to grow up without a stable family environment. The Olympic gymnastics champion spent part of her childhood in foster care before her grandparents adopted her — an experience that has given her a deeply personal reason to support children facing similar struggles.

That connection has made Friends of the Children, a nonprofit that pairs young people with professional mentors who support them over the long term, one of the causes closest to her heart. Biles began working with the organisation in 2020, taking part in virtual activities with children in its programmes.

How a $50,000 Giftполучило Reached the Charity

The financial support arrived through Biles' partnership with cybersecurity company Axonius. In February 2023, she featured Friends of the Children in a commercial for the company. The nonprofit later confirmed in its November 14, 2023, announcement that Axonius had provided a $50,000 gift after Biles highlighted its work.

The partnership did more than deliver a cheque. It also helped the organisation reach more families. In January 2023, Biles hosted a Breakfast of Champions event at her gym in Spring, Texas, to celebrate a limited-edition Wheaties box featuring her and the charity. The event also marked the launch of Friends of the Children's Houston chapter, extending the nonprofit's footprint into her home region.

Stepping Up Through 2023

Biles continued to advocate for the organisation throughout the year. On May 16, 2023, she joined more than 100 young people from its programmes on a Zoom call for National Foster Care Month and Mental Health Awareness Month, using her platform to connect directly with the children the charity serves.

She has never hidden why the cause feels personal. On March 7, 2023, Friends of the Children shared her comments from a People magazine feature in which she described the loneliness of her early years.

"I was a foster kid, so I know how hard it is to feel like no one's there," Biles said in the feature. "Those young people will always have a piece of my heart, which is why Friends of the Children is so dear to me."

A Childhood That Shaped the Mission

Biles entered foster care in Ohio when she was three years old. Her maternal grandfather, Ron Biles, and his wife, Nellie, later adopted Simone and her younger sister, Adria, when Simone was six. That history helped shape her bond with an organisation built around long-term mentorship rather than short-term aid.

In Biles' case, the work stretches well beyond a single donation or campaign. Her own experience gives her a direct line of connection to children who need someone in their corner, and by sharing her story she has helped bring sustained attention to a charity working to give those kids full support — and a reason to believe in their future.