TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
Get involved, go to friendshipcircle.org/foreverfriendship

W

hen a child is diagnosed 
with a special need, parents 
devote their time and ener-
gy to ensure the best possible outcomes 
for that child. Often forgotten is the 
need for friendships essential to every 
child’
s success in life. That is where 
Friendship Circle steps in. 
When Bassie and Rabbi Levi 
Shemtov founded Friendship Circle in 
1994 it was with one purpose, to offer 
friendship to those who needed it most. 
“We began Friendship Circle by meet-
ing with community leaders communi-
ty,’
” says Levi. “We learned how isolating 
it can be for families of children with 
special needs.”
Bassie and Levi reached out to those 
families and offered them the oppor-
tunity for their child to meet with a 
‘
Buddy’
 at their home for a couple hours 
after school each week. Teens from 
across the community volunteered 
their time to become Friendship Circle 
Buddies at the Shemtov home. This 
was the beginning of Friendship Circle’
s 
Afterschool, Weekend and Camp 
Programming. 
The programs are held at the Ferber 
Kaufman Lifetown on Friendship 
Circle’
s Meer Center. They combine 
structured activities and free play 
throughout the facility for children and 
their Buddies. 
The Bauer activity wing is equipped 
with art rooms, waterplay room, life 
skills room, music areas and a calming 
room. Children also take part in art, 
music, baking, play in the Elkus gym 
and other activities each week. 

“The need for belonging is the 
foundation of the other therapies and 
behavior work that happens for these 
children,” says Erin Berry, Friendship 
Circle Program Manager. “Bassie and 
Levi’
s foundation for Friendship Circle 
comes to life every time a child walks 
through those doors.” 
Friendship Circle also offers eight 
weeks of summer day camp, four days 
of overnight camp and a Miracle League 
baseball program, inclusive to everyone, 
with and without special needs. Many 
teens spend their summers volunteer-
ing and build amazing life experiences 
from their time with their Buddies. 
“Early on we started seeing that the 
children with special needs were not 
the only ones receiving the gift of friend-
ship,” Levi says. “Teens volunteering also 
needed a place where they felt accepted 
and could give something back to the 
world. At Friendship Circle, everyone 
is seen for who they are, not their diag-
nosis or who their parents are or what 
type of house they live in.”
While the facility itself is state-of-
the-art, what makes Friendship Circle’
s 
programs unique are the bonds made 
through unconditional love and accep-
tance. 
“Our faith tells us every person is 
special and has a purpose,” says Bassie. 
“Individuals with special needs have 
this unique and beautiful ability to see 
life more simply, and often are closer to 
God because of that. Friendship Circle 
is a space where we are able to give and 
receive from each other, because we all 
have that special gift inside of us.” 

Creating a Circle 
of Friendship 
Friendship Circle 
After School and 
Sunday Circle 
Programs 

