OurHistory
1994
Friendship Circle is founded with eight volunteers meeting four families in their homes every week.
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1997
Friendship Circle rents its first location to utilize and grow programs.
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May 2005
Friendship Circle gets a home of its own with the Ferber Kaufman LifeTown facility on the Meer Family Friendship Center.
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October 2005
Friendship Circle officially opens The Daniel B. Sobel Friendship House.
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2006
Friendship Circle hosts its first Walk4Friendship - an annual tradition that continues to this day.
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2010
Friendship Circle receives the generous gift of the Florene Elkus and Edward Elkus Memorial Gymnasium.
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2011
Friendship Circle launches the annual Great Bike Giveaway - to give the gift of accessible bikes to kids with special needs.
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2014
Friendship Circle starts the UMatter Teen Mental Health Programming.
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2016
Friendship Circle's Farber Center: The Dresner Foundation Soul Studio and the Soul Café are inaugurated. This established Friendship Circle's vocational training programs for adults with special needs.
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October 2020
Friendship Circle purchases Dakota Bread Company to extend the vocational training program and provide more job opportunities to adults with special needs.
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June 2020
Friendship Circle launches the very successful Rubin Family Summer Day Camp, as well as four weeks of overnight camp at North Star Reach for children with special needs.
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2023
Friendship Circle extends the vocational training program for adults with special needs into Pawz Café in Commerce Township, Mi.
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Partners& Supporters
Friendship Circle is grateful for the companies and organizations that make our programs possible.