While many organizations address the issues of children with special needs, most are focused on goal-oriented therapeutic care. The Friendship Circle brings another dimension – unconditional love and friendship. Children with special needs often endure loneliness and isolation because of a lack of friends and social opportunities. By developing friendships between youthful spirited teenagers and children with special needs, the Friendship Circle has yielded incredible results. The volunteers have been able to reach the children in ways that professionals, or even family members, have not.
Furthermore, the program has had a profound effect on the teenagers themselves, instilling within them the values of giving and gratitude and a sense of connection and responsibility to the Jewish community.