FRIENDSHIP CIRCLE OF HOUSTON

What Is It?: The mission of the Friendship Circle is to create meaningful relationships between local teen volunteers and children with special needs.

Help Needed: Opportunities include helping at inclusive Jewish and social programs including bowling parties, challah baking, tennis outings, and Shabbat dinners; making regular visits to buddies with disabilities; and assisting with the annual Friendship Walk.

Minimum Age to Volunteer: 11. Volunteers must be in or entering 6th grade for group events, and in or entering 8th grade for the one-on-one Friends@Home program.

Help Needed

GROUP EVENTS

The Friendship Circle hosts regular inclusive Jewish and social programs including bowling parties, Shabbat dinners, and Loaves of Love (challah baking), as well as holiday programs such as Pizza in the Hut, Purim and Pesach celebrations, and a Shavuot Ice Cream Party. Teen volunteers are needed and welcome at these events.

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Through this program, individuals with disabilities enjoy regular visits in their homes from pairs of volunteers, giving parents respite while the child enjoys an hour of homemade fun with his/her friends.

FRIENDSHIP WALK

Teen volunteers are needed to help with the Friendship Circle’s annual community-wide Friendship Walk. This event helps heighten awareness of children and adults with disabilities, and raises funds for Friendship Circle programs. The 2019 walk took place on December 15th.

Time Commitment:

No minimum level of involvement is required; participants choose which programs suit them best, and which they enjoy. “However, when you commit to being a volunteer, the FC is relying on you as a buddy for one of the children. If you are unable to volunteer, you must to notify us at least 3 days in advance so we can try to find a substitute.”

Suitable for Groups of Volunteers?

No.

Training Needed:

Before beginning to volunteer, all new volunteers must register, and attend an orientation seminar that takes place in September. This seminar will prepare the volunteer to work with a person with disabilities. At this time volunteers can address any concerns and can then choose the program that is a good fit for them.

Contact:

Esti Lazarus, Volunteer & Program Coordinator, [email protected], (832) 857-0770 contact photo