Dear friend,
Happy Summer! We are still on a high coming off a fun filled Summer Camp packed with Awesome Activities, Best Buddies, Fabulous Friendships and Terrific Trips.
Here, at our Friendship Circle Center we have been very busy planning an awesome year of exciting programs and activities! With our 17 robust programs, there is sure to be at least a few for everyone, from sports leagues to art, music and dance, and from camps to culinary arts and homework club, we know you will feel right at home. There is something for everyone, whether you are a participant or would like to volunteer.
I am excited to report that many of our special children and young adults have been enjoying their time in the State of the Art Snoezelen Multisensory Room and are advancing greatly!
We at Friendship Circle are looking forward to an amazing year ahead!
Wishing everyone a great rest of summer and hope to see you all soon!
Chani Mintz
Friendship Circle Director
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MANDEL FAMILY
Snoezelen Multi-Sensory
Therapy Room
Friendship Circle is proud to have the most advanced Snoezelen Multisensory Therapy Center in California. We are busy welcoming families and booking training, therapy and calming sessions.
The multi-sensory therapeutic environment is beneficial for all ages and abilities. This unique form of treatment yields behavioral and physiological improvements for children and adults with learning and intellectual disabilities, including an increased sense of self-control, awareness, alertness, concentration, improved exploration and creative behaviors, enhanced attention span, brain arousal, mental and physical relaxation, and a reduction in challenging behaviors.
For more information and to learn how Snoezelen Therapy can benefit your family member, please click here. Training is required prior to using the equipment. Please click here to register for upcoming training sessions. For more information contact our Therapy Coordinator Yanina.
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WELCOME MICHELLE! We are excited to introduce you to Michelle Reynolds who is our Program and Volunteer Coordinator.
Michelle brings years of work as a volunteer with various schools and organizations and is excited to be on the other end helping volunteers and their buddies have fun experiences together.
Michelle lives with her family and two dogs in Huntington Beach and she loves traveling and cooking.
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Incredible orientation and training brunch this past Sunday to kick off the new school year!
We are excited to welcome over 30 new teens who joined as well as many of our awesome returning volunteers! We worked on team building, communication, dealing with sensory overload and lots more! Looking forward to an amazing year filled with so many new friendships and exciting activities ahead!!
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What an exciting day in Big Bear as some lucky Friendship Circle buddies took to the fresh waters of Big Bear Lake for wet and wild water skiing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, rafting and more! Using a variety of modified and standard recreation equipment, along with USARC's skilled staff of recreation therapists and expertly trained volunteers, the excitement and adventure of these sports are safely introduced to each participant. Everyone had a blast and can't wait until winter to do it again in the snow!
Thank you Amy and Michael Stoll for this incredible opportunity!
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RESILIENCE - A new booklet, Resilience, was recently released as part of our continuing series addressing issues of mental health and the pandemic. A compendium of insights, wisdom, and practical advice, this booklet offers input from leading mental health professionals on how to build mental strength and cope with stress in the face of life’s adversities.
Increasing resilience has many positive effects; it helps us traverse difficult circumstances, withstand stress, and overcome trauma. Resilience empowers us to grow from our experiences and live richer, more successful lives. Evidence shows that all people can develop the skills to put them on the path to greater resilience.
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GIDEON MARZOUK
My name is Gideon Marzouk, but my friends call me Gidi. I am going into 8th grade at TVT and I enjoy traveling and sports. My family and I have known Chani and Rabbi Mintz for a long time and we have come to learn the importance of Friendship Circle. I decided to volunteer when I was in 6th grade for my Bar Mitzvah project.
Over the past couple of years, I’ve been grateful to volunteer at Friendship Circle summer camp, basketball buddies, and soccer stars. All these amazing activities, camps, and events make a huge difference for all the friends with special needs that attend. From my experience, these kids just need a friend - someone to talk to and to play with.
What I enjoy most about Friendship Circle is the opportunity to brighten someone’s day and make everyone feel loved. We need to remember that everyone needs a friend. Some of the experiences I’ve treasured during my time with the Friendship Circle are enjoying snow cones together with my buddy after an action-packed day, playing in the water park, and relaxing in the petting zoo. Thank you so much to all of the staff at Friendship Circle for giving me the opportunity to make a difference in these special lives.
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KARLIE ZUCKERMAN
I began volunteering with Friendship Circle when I was in 7th grade because I had always connected with kids. It quickly became my mitzvah project, and I enjoyed my experiences so much! I am now starting my senior year, it just became part of my life and something I wanted to continue long term.
One thing that inspires me is the impact I have made with all the unique individuals at the programs. I have made so many connections along the way and have met buddies who are still a part of my life both. It feels so special when you know you have been a positive influence and you’re greeted with a big “hi” as you walk in the door, or you see their faces light up when they are doing an activity they enjoy.
I am grateful to be part of an organization that treats people with special needs as equals and as friends. These experiences have touched me deeply, and have filled me with joy and have helped shape me into the person I am today. I am a much stronger advocate of inclusivity and equality now and the happiness I have felt throughout all these programs is unmatched. As I go off to college in about a year, I will continue working toward being a positive influence, making as much of an impact in other lives as I can and to continue volunteering as my future unfolds.
Chani, you have the best heart ever and I’m so touched to know you and to be part of your incredible team of employees and volunteers!
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What an amazing Summer Camp we had! From trips like Tanaka Farms where we got to pick lots of delicious fresh fruits and veggies, pet live animals and plant sunflowers, to a splashing time of water fun and giant inflatables at Adventure Lagoon and a scavenger hunt and special movie at the Irvine Spectrum.
We enjoyed themed camp days like Tropical Tuesday and Camping Out Thursday, with lots of fun themed activities and a visit from Farmer Joe and his awesome animals, watermelon eating contests, snow cone making and so much more. It was an awesome Summer Camp Experience!
Stay tuned for details of our exciting Winter Camp beginning December 26, 2022.
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Sunday Circle is our most popular program for our younger participants. Everyone loves interacting with the amazing teen volunteers who give so much of themselves to give our special friends the beautiful gift of friendship. We’ve been enjoying special art projects, outdoor activities, musical sessions with Wes and Valerie, and various entertainment. |
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Our young adults have been enjoying cooking in our beautiful Friendship Circle Instructional Kitchen. We’ve been whipping up tacos, breakfast for dinner, matzah brie, poke bowls and more! We also visit the Teen Lounge to play Foosball and Ping Pong, play games and hang out together. Everyone had a great time at our end-of-the-year pizza and pool party, thanks to our gracious hosts, Sam and Audrey Silverman. |
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BASKETBALL BUDDIES
We are looking forward to another great year of Basketball Buddies with volunteer coach Henry Macdonald. Basketball Buddies is our longest running sports program. Participants learn basketball skills and teamwork while enjoying a sport they love.
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TENNIS TEAMS
Tennis has become one of our more well-attended sports offerings. This program has attracted participants of all ages and abilities, and everyone’s skills are improving. We very much appreciate the awesome coach Spencer Sharpe and all the amazing volunteers..
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SOCCER STARS
All ages and skill levels are welcome at Soccer Stars. Coaches Michael Durrant and Christina Maldonado began each session with a warmup and introducing the players and then work on improving skills and then playing a game. The players are learning teamwork and perseverance that will help them in other areas of their lives.
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Friendship Circle has opened one of the only Snoezelen Therapy rooms in Southern California. Snoezelen therapy is a multisensory environment that is tremendously beneficial and important for communication, interaction and behavior in social and family life. Snoezelen aids in decreasing aggressive behavior and contributes to relaxation, improved socialization, integration into social structures and free decision-making. The therapy supports self-fulfillment, development of sensory perception, emotionality, recognition, communication and motor activity.
The most important part of the Snoezelen experience is not the equipment, but the control users have over it. Most treatment for people with disabilities involves helping them adjust to society’s rules and expectations, but in a Snoezelen Room, they get to create an environment tailored specifically to them. The Snoezelen room creates personal breakthroughs in communication, awareness and self-expression.
For more information about our room, please click here.
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NOW IT IS YOUR TURN TO LEAD US FORWARD
Planned Giving to the Friendship Circle Endowment shows your commitment to ensuring that no individual is left behind. This is your moment to empower each person to express their talents and reach their potential, both now and in the future.
Join with Friendship Circle through the loving act of Planned Giving by leading your community to a strong and vibrant future. This is your moment.
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YOUR GIFT WILL BRING FRIENDSHIP, OPPORTUNITY, AND INCLUSION TO CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS |
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2240 University Dr. | Newport Beach, CA 92660 | 949-721-9800 |
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