The Friendship Circle, a Jewish, not for profit organization, was born from innovation, where two compelling community needs and two target populations were creatively addressed through one synergistic program design. 

• Children with Special Needs and their families need to be accepted and welcomed as members of the Jewish community.  Children need to have positive and meaningful interactions with their fully abled peers, and in turn, learn to be a friend. Their families need support, acceptance and respite opportunities. 

• Teens in high school need to have meaningful volunteer
  opportunities after school and on weekends, where they can:
  • Interact with Jewish friends and peers from other schools.
  • Engage in teambuilding activities that help them develop
    a sense of responsibility and empathy toward others
  • Contribute to their community, on a regular basis and help children,
    in a meaningful way that adults cannot.

Together, the volunteers, children, parents, staff and supporters who make up the
Friendship Circle can perform miracles.