Our Mission
Founded on the belief of V’Ahavta L’Reacha Kamocha (love your fellow as yourself), The Friendship Circle is dedicated to creating a supportive Jewish community for individuals with special needs, their families, and local volunteers- giving them the opportunity to unearth their potential, make positive life choices, and realize their dreams.
Since 2005, The Friendship Circle has accomplished its mission by:
- Matching teen volunteers with special needs children and their families
- Developing a network of programs and services for children with special needs offered by caring adults and trained peers
- Creating a sense of responsibility and connection to the Jewish community for high school students and families of children with special needs through enriching educational and social opportunities.
- Providing workshops, lectures, programs and parties for parents of children who have special needs.
- Arranging monthly social and Judaic programming for over 120 adults with special needs.
Our Vision
We envision a more accepting local and regional Jewish community that embraces children, teens and adults with special needs and their families, including them as active participants in a full array of activities and experiences. We will have extensively expanded our scope of programs and services to individuals with special needs to all ages, and levels of the spectrum.
We also foresee the creation of a community whereby youth will be nurtured and inspired to participate in the innovative and stimulating programs provided by TFC and other Jewish organizations. Their active participation will assist them in finding meaning, purpose, and self-worth in what they do; embracing a sense of connection to and responsibility for the greater Jewish community. We view this as essential to developing and producing the next generation of members and leaders of Jewish community.