Erin Lynch
Westport News
On June 5, nearly 200 teens from the Fairfield County area will be honored by The Friendship Circle for the dedication they have shown to their peers with special needs throughout this past year.
The Friendship Circle, according to its Web site, www.friendshipct.org, gives "helping hands to families who have children with special needs and involves them in a full range of social and Jewish experiences."
The program also works in collaboration with its parent organization, Chabad Lubavitch of Fairfield County, which is a Jewish outreach program based out of Stamford and Westport.
The Friendship Circle, which is open to anyone in the county, has three main programs throughout their organization. The first, Friends at Home, is the core of the organization. It pairs local teen volunteers with kids with special needs. The volunteers come to the child's home once a week to visit, play games, do homework or just be a friend to the child.
These teens, who are being honored Monday, are all specially trained to be not only a friend but also a mentor to these children.
"These kids can bring out what other adults can't. A lot of these children don't have other friends and for them to have these two kids, who they can call their friends, is unbelievable," said Mayla Schmotkin, director of the program.
According to Schmotkin, parents also benefit from their children's interaction with their playmates. "For moms, it's an unbelievable respite. One mom told me that the happiness that the child expressed when the teens came in was a happiness she didn't even know he possessed."
The second program, Children's Circle, takes place two Sundays a month throughout the academic school year in Stamford. It allows the teen volunteers to participate in several activities with the disabled children, such as dance, music or art classes, or to participate in various sports activities.
The children can also attend a Hebrew school and according to information supplied by The Friendship Circle, it allows parents "to leave their child in the hands of a qualified professional and loving volunteers."
The Hebrew school, Schmotkin said, "began because parents had said to me that they really would like their children to have a Jewish education, and you know, we feel that every Jewish child deserves a Jewish education. So we started the Hebrew school to be able to fill that need."
The third main program is the Holiday Program, which allows families to come together to celebrate Jewish holidays in a comfortable setting. Throughout the year families can come together to celebrate Rosh Hashana, Hanukkah, Pesach and Shavuot.
Besides these three main programs, The Friendship Circle also provides a sibling support group, which lets the siblings of disabled children know that they are not alone.
"A lot of these siblings don't feel comfortable expressing their concerns to the parents because they know how challenging their parents' lives are as it is. Here, they are in a comfortable setting with a child psychologist and able to express the challenge that it is for them as siblings," Schmotkin said.
She said siblings are also able to interact with other kids who share the same experiences. "Sometimes they think they're in their own world and that no one understands them, but through the support group they learn they are not alone," Schmotkin said. "The whole purpose of the Friendship Circle is to tell them you're not alone. Not only are you not alone, but we are here to help and we do recognize your child."
The Friendship Circle is really a win-win situation for both the volunteers and for the children. Schmotkin said not only do the children anxiously await the visit of their special friend but the volunteers also learn the value of giving and making a difference in the child's life. "The teens really gain so much more than they give," she said.
Teen volunteers, Schmotkin said, must be of high school age and The Friendship Circle typically offers its program to any child with special needs from age of 2 to 18. But Schmotkin said it really is "open to any parent who feels their child would benefit from the program."
This year, The Friendship Circle has nearly 200 teen volunteers and 100 special needs families actively involved in various programs. Volunteers are trained and heavily screened before they are given the OK to visit a child's home, Schmotkin said. "That is really important & we have to make sure these teens are responsible about making those weekly visitations."
Schmotkin also said the teen-age volunteers have the ability to connect with the children on a much deeper level. "Kids can bring out in kids what other adults can't, the connection these children have with each other is amazing," she said.
The teen volunteers will be honored for their hard work and dedication Monday night at the Inn at Longshore.
There are three goals to Monday's event, the first is to honor the teens for giving up their own time, the second is to show families that they are not alone and the third is to create awareness of the program, Schmotkin said.
"Instead of going out, playing soccer, lacrosse or skiing, these kids give up their own time, they go out and volunteer for a child with special needs. The event on Monday is to show them that we are so impressed with what they do and that we think it is so commendable," Schmotkin said.
Anyone interested in attending the event, which will be held at the Inn at Longshore, 260 South Compo Road, or becoming involved with The Friendship Circle can call Schmotkin at 324-3779, ext. 16, or e-mail her at malya@ friendshipct.com
Westport News
On June 5, nearly 200 teens from the Fairfield County area will be honored by The Friendship Circle for the dedication they have shown to their peers with special needs throughout this past year.
The Friendship Circle, according to its Web site, www.friendshipct.org, gives "helping hands to families who have children with special needs and involves them in a full range of social and Jewish experiences."
The program also works in collaboration with its parent organization, Chabad Lubavitch of Fairfield County, which is a Jewish outreach program based out of Stamford and Westport.
The Friendship Circle, which is open to anyone in the county, has three main programs throughout their organization. The first, Friends at Home, is the core of the organization. It pairs local teen volunteers with kids with special needs. The volunteers come to the child's home once a week to visit, play games, do homework or just be a friend to the child.
These teens, who are being honored Monday, are all specially trained to be not only a friend but also a mentor to these children.
"These kids can bring out what other adults can't. A lot of these children don't have other friends and for them to have these two kids, who they can call their friends, is unbelievable," said Mayla Schmotkin, director of the program.
According to Schmotkin, parents also benefit from their children's interaction with their playmates. "For moms, it's an unbelievable respite. One mom told me that the happiness that the child expressed when the teens came in was a happiness she didn't even know he possessed."
The second program, Children's Circle, takes place two Sundays a month throughout the academic school year in Stamford. It allows the teen volunteers to participate in several activities with the disabled children, such as dance, music or art classes, or to participate in various sports activities.
The children can also attend a Hebrew school and according to information supplied by The Friendship Circle, it allows parents "to leave their child in the hands of a qualified professional and loving volunteers."
The Hebrew school, Schmotkin said, "began because parents had said to me that they really would like their children to have a Jewish education, and you know, we feel that every Jewish child deserves a Jewish education. So we started the Hebrew school to be able to fill that need."
The third main program is the Holiday Program, which allows families to come together to celebrate Jewish holidays in a comfortable setting. Throughout the year families can come together to celebrate Rosh Hashana, Hanukkah, Pesach and Shavuot.
Besides these three main programs, The Friendship Circle also provides a sibling support group, which lets the siblings of disabled children know that they are not alone.
"A lot of these siblings don't feel comfortable expressing their concerns to the parents because they know how challenging their parents' lives are as it is. Here, they are in a comfortable setting with a child psychologist and able to express the challenge that it is for them as siblings," Schmotkin said.
She said siblings are also able to interact with other kids who share the same experiences. "Sometimes they think they're in their own world and that no one understands them, but through the support group they learn they are not alone," Schmotkin said. "The whole purpose of the Friendship Circle is to tell them you're not alone. Not only are you not alone, but we are here to help and we do recognize your child."
The Friendship Circle is really a win-win situation for both the volunteers and for the children. Schmotkin said not only do the children anxiously await the visit of their special friend but the volunteers also learn the value of giving and making a difference in the child's life. "The teens really gain so much more than they give," she said.
Teen volunteers, Schmotkin said, must be of high school age and The Friendship Circle typically offers its program to any child with special needs from age of 2 to 18. But Schmotkin said it really is "open to any parent who feels their child would benefit from the program."
This year, The Friendship Circle has nearly 200 teen volunteers and 100 special needs families actively involved in various programs. Volunteers are trained and heavily screened before they are given the OK to visit a child's home, Schmotkin said. "That is really important & we have to make sure these teens are responsible about making those weekly visitations."
Schmotkin also said the teen-age volunteers have the ability to connect with the children on a much deeper level. "Kids can bring out in kids what other adults can't, the connection these children have with each other is amazing," she said.
The teen volunteers will be honored for their hard work and dedication Monday night at the Inn at Longshore.
There are three goals to Monday's event, the first is to honor the teens for giving up their own time, the second is to show families that they are not alone and the third is to create awareness of the program, Schmotkin said.
"Instead of going out, playing soccer, lacrosse or skiing, these kids give up their own time, they go out and volunteer for a child with special needs. The event on Monday is to show them that we are so impressed with what they do and that we think it is so commendable," Schmotkin said.
Anyone interested in attending the event, which will be held at the Inn at Longshore, 260 South Compo Road, or becoming involved with The Friendship Circle can call Schmotkin at 324-3779, ext. 16, or e-mail her at malya@ friendshipct.com
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