Friendship circle with focus on inclusivity gets big boost from 100 Women of Huntington

A nonprofit organization focused on friendship in all its forms received a $13,200 donation from 100 Women of Huntington earlier this week, the fourth donation given out by the group of women who use collective philanthropy as a means to give back to the community.

Ariella’s Friendship Circle is a 501(c)(3) charity initially established to foster meaningful and lasting friendships among teens and individuals of all abilities. Over the years, and thanks to the support of the group’s teen volunteers, the organization has transformed the Friendship Circle “into a safe haven where individuals of all abilities can truly be themselves, feel accepted, and be valued for their unique qualities,” reads the group’s website.

The organization offers a large selection of 45-minute classes, open to the group’s high school volunteers and their special needs friends. Clubs, which consist of multiple classes, range from bowling buddies to a virtual fun zone, Zumba and hip hop instruction, chess and Sunday sports. A weekly club that gives back to the local community through acts of kindness is central to the group.

Most classes take place at the group’s headquarters in Dix Hills.

At the 100 Women of Huntington meeting on Monday, January 29, Friendship Circle representatives Elizabeth Klein and Gale Paul were chosen randomly, from five possible candidates, to speak about their charity and what they would do with the funds should they be chosen as the donation recipient. They were nominated for consideration by 100 Women member Alicia Filippone Lazarto; joining them as possible recipients were fellow nonprofits Preservation Long Island and Long Island Cares.

Friendship Circle Program Director Gale Paul spoke about her history with the organization, and how she was introduced to the group through her children’s experiences as high school volunteers. Many of the group’s participants are from the Half Hollow Hills school district, though both volunteers and those with special needs from outside school districts are welcome and encouraged to join, too.

Through her children’s participation in the group, Paul said in a social media post, “I witnessed how the Friendship Circle impacts the lives of the volunteers just as much as the participants. As volunteers, they demonstrated compassion and maturity, and received so much joy.” Klein said at the meeting that the friendships formed inside the clubs often extend into virtual meetings and text messaging between the volunteers and participants in between meet-ups.

Parents of special needs children register their children in the program; volunteers receive community service hours through the group but must apply and be accepted via an application form.

“Our teen volunteers go above and beyond mere friendship, providing genuine support and mentorship to those in need during our diverse range of classes and activities,” reads a statement on the website. “In doing so, they cultivate an environment of true community acceptance and integration.”

Also the leader of the circle’s hip hop and chorus programs, Paul said she looks “forward to seeing everyone’s smiling faces each week and am continually touched by the relationships that form between the participants and volunteers. I am proud to contribute to the Friendship Circle and look forward to continuing to support this wonderful community.”

At Monday’s meeting, where the donation recipient was chosen by an online vote by the 100 Women group members, Klein said Friendship Circle would use the donated funds to further the organization’s outreach efforts, enhance its programs and possibly pursue the idea of a vocational program – in the form of a bakery – for the group.

To learn more about Ariella’s Friendship Circle, visit www.nyfriendshipcircle.com or click here to see them on Facebook. 100 Women of Huntington meets quarterly; find out more about the group on Instagram.