The Special Needs Kinus

From uniting local groups and institutions to rallying teens from all walks of life to taking the lead in special needs acceptance, it’s no wonder that Friendship Circle is gaining popularity across the spectrum of the community, Jewish and general alike.

Founded in 1994 in West Bloomfield, Michigan, as a response to the needs of thousands of kids worldwide who suffer from various isolating conditions, such as learning or developmental disorders, Friendship Circle connects those it serves with a corps of teen volunteers.

There are currently over 75 branches in the United States, Canada, Australia, England, France and China, comprising 5,000 beneficiaries and their families, and more than 9,000 volunteers.

Every year dozens of individuals connected to the fast-growing international organization converge from across the nation and around the world for two days of information and inspiration.

Numerous workshops highlight new and current Friendship Circle trends and programs that are taken in by the attendees, all of whom come away vastly enriched and better equipped to maintain and improve their local programs.

This year’s annual conference for Friendship Circle directors and coordinators on June 13th -14th at Dolce Hotel and Resorts in Norwalk, CT will feature a hands-on experience of what can be accomplished in a city at large. It’s called “Friendship City.”

Participants will learn how to take the initiative for people with special needs acceptance and awareness in local Supermarkets, Libraries, Synagogues, Schools, and Restaurants & Sports Leagues.

This concept, among others, will be the subject of presentations, discussions, and displays all designed to help broaden the impact of special needs acceptance around the world.

The conference is being organized by Friendship Circle’s International office run out of the Brooklyn based Chabad Resource Center – The Shluchim Office.

Visit FriendshipCircle.com