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WHO WE ARE
Friendship Circle of Northern Virginia is a non-profit organization affiliated with Chabad of Northern Virginia. Our goal is to provide every individual with special needs the support, friendship, and inclusion that they deserve.
What We Stand For
Our Values
Friendship Circle is founded upon the idea that within each person is a soul which has something unique to contribute to our world and is worthy of boundless love.
Our Mission
Friendship Circle creates friendship in the lives of individuals with special needs and those facing isolation while providing an opportunity to become a contributing member of the community. Through our programming, Friendship Circle aims to promote an inclusive community that values all individuals regardless of the challenges they face.
What We Offer
Our core program is Friends@Home where we pair teen volunteers or young adults with differently abled teens or young adults, to spend time with them on a regular basis. All teens are interviewed prior to being matched to gauge interests, location, and schedule. Once paired, teen volunteers attend orientation before meeting their differently abled friend and attend our educational workshops throughout the year. In the true spirit of inclusion, all of our teens make a friend their age and our teen volunteers also gain a new perspective on what it means to live chesed, compassion.
What Participants Say
“The highlight of my week is hands down the hour I spend hanging out with Erica. Going to Erica’s house baking brownies, playing webkins, hide and go seek or creating an imaginary pirate ship have been some of the most influential and fun moments of my life. I cannot wait to spend another year filled with these experiences.”
Jodie Salzberg
Friendship Circle Volunteer
Friendship Circle Volunteer
“As a parent of two special needs children one learns to notice the little things… Never doubt what you mean to our children . They, Larry and I are proud to call you friend.”
Mrs. Beth Slozberg-Widem
Friendship Circle Mom
Friendship Circle Mom
“I never would have thought that spending one hour per week with someone could have such an impact on each of us individually. Dan and I created a special friendship with Gary, and it has strengthened over the course of this year."
Ben Alpert
Friendship Circle Volunteer
Friendship Circle Volunteer