ABOUT US
Our Mission:
The Friendship Circle's Mission is to provide children with special needs with a full range of social recreational experiences, provide their parents with respite and support, enrich, inspire and motivate teens through sharing of themselves with others.
Our Values:
Friendship Circle is founded upon the idea that within each person is a soul, and that soul is equal and worthy of boundless love. With this inspiration, the lives of the families we serve are enhanced while the volunteers reap the rewards of selfless giving.
Our History
The Friendship Circle of Alabama was founded in 2012 with the mission to make Alabama a more inclusive environment for the special needs community. Friendship Circle has grown exponentially over the past six years. We have over thirty teen volunteers and are working to incorporate more teen and adult volunteers. Our programs service individuals from toddler to child and teen to young adult. Our programs also support the parents and families of individuals with special needs.
While individuals with special needs have many resources available-doctors, therapists, etc., their social needs, especially with typical peers, are often very limited. Through our programming, Friendship Circle promotes an inclusive community that values all individuals regardless of the challenges they face through social and recreational services.
2012
The Friendship Circle was founded with one program Friends at Home servicing two families.
2015
The Friendship Circle continued creating more programs to meet the needs of the special needs community, especially young adults with special needs.
2016
The first Color4Friendship One Mile Color Run was born, ensuring that the Friendship Circle can continue to flourish.
2019
This year, we've added two new programs and are creating new collaborations with others in the special needs community.