Friendship Connection
As one parent recently put it, “My teenage child will soon be graduating from school. After a life time of activities and services planned for her, she still does not have a friend!”
What The Friendship Connection Does
The Friendship Connection pairs volunteers from the community with an individual with special needs looking for companionship. Extensive interest inventories are used to try and introduce individuals to potential friends that share many common interests and activities. Participants in this program have the opportunity to develop new friendships and connections in the community. We fully expect that these newly established relationships develop into strong, mutual friendships that provide great benefits to both parties. As one of the volunteer friends put it, “I came into the program thinking I was doing this as a way to help someone. As it turns out, I receive more than I give and that is why I still continue with it today.”
Peaceful Living assures that each volunteer rectruited is thoroughly vetted by obtaining child abuse clearances, drug screening results, criminal reference checks as well as making sure they have a driver’s license and valid insurance. Once these volunteers are cleared to be paired with an individual they spend at least 3 hours a month, although it’s usually more than that. There is one scheduled Friendship Connection activity a month that ranges from Christmas parties to kickball games and each year there is a “Friends Banquet” that brings all of the friends and individuals served celebrate their life in the community.
How To Get Started
If you’re interested in the Friendship Connection as a volunteer or an individual in need of a friend, please get in touch with Loretta Moyer at the contact information below. She will be happy to answer any and all questions about the program, or guide you through the process of getting started.
F.C. Director: Loretta Moyer (lmoyer@peacefulliving.org)
Phone: 215.353.3449
Non-Discrimination in Services Policy: Peaceful Living will not deny admission, the provision of services, and referral of individuals on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, or disabilities. For those with disabilities, reasonable accommodations will be made.
Pictures from the Friendship Connection Program
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