B.H.
Friendship Redefined
ALTHOUGH SOME CHILDREN AND TEENS MAY ACT IN WAYS THAT WOULD LEAD ONE TO BELIEVE THEY HAVE LITTLE DESIRE TO BE SOCIAL, A LACK OF SOCIAL SKILLS DOES NOT MEAN A LACK OF SOCIAL INTEREST. WE HOPE TO FOSTER FRIENDSHIPS WHERE SOCIAL BARRIERS DO NOT EXIST, AND DIFFERENT FORMS OF FRIENDSHIP AND SOCIAL INTERACTION ARE ACCEPTEd: The purest form of friendship.
"We were so honoured to be just 1 of 3 charities to present," explains Elinore Marie Rabin of joining Devora Caytak and the #100WWCO event a month ago. "And, I have to say, that walking into a room of women who are just simply there, selflessly, to give to the community was just a wonderful feeling."
Parents’ night at home with Rabbi Shais Taub
Enjoy an inspirational talk and stay connected in the comfort of your own home.
Join us today (Thursday June 11, 2020) at 7pm at GlobalShabbatParty.com
(watch live)
Friendship Circle continues to inspire our Jewish community and celebrates Shabbat.
SPECIAL GUESTS:
Billy Crystal, Howie Mandel, Mayim Bialik, Elon Gold, Omri Casspi, Kodi Lee, The Lost Voice Guy, Yaakov Shwekey, and 8th Day.
Our Virtual Conference With Dr. Gail Scher!
Dr. Gail Scher had many lessons to impart while speaking at our local conference-from-home on August 5! Dr. Scher is passionate about sharing her stories, empowering those with communication challenges and helping our community. Thank you to Dr. Scher and our participants for your outstanding service to Friendship Circle. We love how our buddies continue their work to exemplify the Friendship Circle message of inclusion during these uncertain times. 💜
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.
FRIENDAY
We need your friendship.
we would love your support.
For years, Friendship Circles around the world have provided children with special needs with the friendship, inclusion and emotional support that they deserve. By uniting them with volunteer teenagers, we inspire and enrich our network of volunteers with the personal growth and fulfillment derived from selfless giving.
SAY FRIENDSHIP!
In challenging times, we just want someone to say “hi!” As the COVID-19 pandemic has roiled our families, community, country, world friendship, and support are more important now more than ever.
You have infinite ability.
Right now, you can have infinite impact by never focusing on limitations, disabilities or inabilities, but always striving to do more and give more light.
The power of friendship is what will keep us all together.
Dinners have been canceled.
Fundraisers have gone extinct.
Your support is more essential now than ever before.
Together we will raise a substantial portion of our annual budget.
That's what friends do!
THANK YOU FOR SAYING FRIENDSHIP.
AND FOR GIVING WHATEVER YOU CAN TO MAKE THE WORLD
A FRIENDLIER PLACE!
CAMPAIGN STARTS on TUESDAY SEP 8 at 12:00 PM EDT. Join us at https://www.charidy.com/sayfriendshipJYLOttawa
Get your popcorn ready for
THE FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE SAY FRIENDSHIP! fundraising campaign -- presented by Michael Strahan with guests Jamie Foxx, Alonzo Mourning Holly Robinson Peete, and so much more! Going live on Tuesday, September 8 at 12 pm EDT (sign up link here: https://www.charidy.com/sayfriendshipJYLOttawa).
Please save the date, get ready to SAY FRIENDSHIP! and join us in giving our special children the love they deserve!!!
Thank you to our generous supporters for donating to the Friendship Circle of Ottawa's Say Friendship campaign and supporting our mission of inclusion -- We can't do this without you!
To donate to this campaign online and receive a tax receipt for your contribution, go to:
https://www.charidy.com/sayfriendshipjylottawa?fbclid=IwAR0xtBBXyVBiVOdxLXzkafy6i7ldPfn3p7znVHHRm8DCGYpTII1Pj4DsUCg
That time of year again! Our Chanukah Donation Initiative continues to treat our dear friends, both the children enrolled in our program as well as their incredible mothers, to a wide range of amazing items this holiday season. Thank you to all of you who gave a financial gift to The Jewish Youth Library of Ottawa, all while supporting Friendship Circle programs.
Today is Purim! To celebrate, we’ve given Friendship Circle participants something really exciting: The Hidden Miracle Box with flavoured bombs + hamantashen.
Speaking about their experience working with Friendship Circle, program participants said, “I really appreciate the friendship group. Being at home, doing virtual schooling is really lonely…This has definitely been a highlight :) Thank you for all the work you do, you are really making a difference!”
“I wanted to thank you for the gift box. That was really nice. It just brighten up my day. Thank you!”
“Thanks again for the Purim package. The boys loved it!”
“Took the boys out to pick up their glasses during their lunch break and came home to a lovely surprise. Thank you for the gift. It's thoughtful of you. Happy Purim!”
“Thank you very much for such a wonderful gift! Also, the Soul Studio is very interesting and another learning experience to share! I just cannot thank you enough!”
“Thank you so much for the beautiful box of hamentaschen and hot chocolate! What a fantastic surprise.”
Everyone liked their sweet treats so much they even surprised us with 📸:
It was an absolute pleasure visiting Jenna and Maya who were featured in a news story for the Community Voice newspaper!
One of our long-standing volunteers, Sophie, at the home of two of her buddies along with coordinator, Elinore Rabin. Sophie will be greatly missed as she has moved on to university this Fall, but promises to keep in touch. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors! Fortunately, the two families Sophie was working with have been placed with new volunteers and we hope that new friendships will soon blossom!
Friendship Circle gifts for the amazing volunteers that attended our summer training session!
The map pinpoints the locations of families that have yet to be paired with a volunteer. We hope to find each of them a special new friend very soon! Thank you again to all the volunteers that came out for our summer training session.
Friendship Circle is in the news! Thank you, Community Voice, for featuring a story about Jenna and Maya’s friendship and the impact Friendship Circle has had on their lives.
World-renowned speech pathologist, Dr. Gail Scher spoke to our new volunteers. She provided us with invaluable information about autism and answered questions from our new volunteers. What an interesting presentation!
Scott and his two buddies enjoy board games among other activities during their visits. It was a blast hanging out with these incredibly intelligent and hilarious guys.
A perfect metaphor for parents and caregivers of children with special needs. What a positive outlook to keep in mind.
Friendship Circle Director Devora Caytak and coordinator Elinore Rabin joined four other women representing two other wonderful charities: Autism Ontario Ottawa Chapter and Serenity Renewal for Families at the Fall 2019 Gathering for 100 Women Who Care. We thank all of the awesome women involved in supporting each of the charities that participated. Thank you SO much for your incredible generosity!!
Attention Friendship Circle Families: Meet-up at Brewer Park!
We will be joining Social Group for Autism Families on Sunday September 29, from 10:30am - 1pm. Brewer Park is located at 100 Brewer Way, at Sloan and Hopewell Ave.
A great chance to socialize and get some fresh air. Feel free to bring snacks to share. Should be a beautiful day!
See you there!
Elinore Rabin and Devora Caytak talk Friendship Circle at the Volunteer Ottawa expo. Thank you to Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson for helping to create interest in meaningful inclusion opportunities for Canadians with and without special needs!