Friendship Circle

Name

Friendship Circle

Legal name

Friendship Circle International Inc.

Website

https://friendshipcircle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Needs Nonprofit Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Child and Youth Services (624110), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits (BPAGADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Student Mentoring & Peer Support Programs (EDAJALAL), Peer Support, Mentoring & Student Leadership (SEL) (EDAKAMAO)

Keywords

• Special needs programs
• Volunteer friendship network
• Nonprofit community services
• Inclusive social programs
• Charity fundraising events

Headquarters

HQ city

West Bloomfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Friendship Circle is a nonprofit organization that relies primarily on charitable donations from individuals, families, and community supporters. Donations fund chapter operations, program development, and the organization's mission of creating friendships for people with special needs.
2. Team Friendship Endurance Event Fundraising: Team Friendship organizes endurance events (marathons, bike rides, hikes, mountain climbs) where participants commit to fundraising minimums ($2,500-$6,000 for marathon charity entries) that support Friendship Circle programs. Events include NYC Marathon, Miami Marathon, Philadelphia Marathon, Kilimanjaro climb, Glacier hikes, and cross-country Bike 4 Friendship rides.
3. Walk4Friendship: Annual flagship fundraising walk event that gathers participants, volunteers, and families to raise awareness and funds for the organization.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Friendship Circle operates a nonprofit network connecting teen volunteers (Buddies) with children, teens, and adults with special needs through 80+ local chapters, virtual programming (Friendship Circle Online), and adventure-based fundraising events (Team Friendship). Programs include one-on-one home visits (Friends@Home), sports nights, life skills training, holiday programs, seasonal camps (winter, spring, summer, STEM, theater), sibling connection, and a Children's Torah Circle, all delivered free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through donations and event fundraising.

Product overview

Friendship Circle is a nonprofit organization operating as a single unified service rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering is the Friendship Circle program, which connects teen volunteers with individuals with special needs through multiple delivery channels: local chapter-based in-person programs (Friends@Home visits, Sports Nights, Holiday Programs, Life Skills Training, and seasonal camps at LifeTown), virtual programming via Friendship Circle Online, and community events through Walk4Friendship. Supporting programs include Team Friendship, an adventure-based fundraising arm that organizes endurance events (marathons, Kilimanjaro climbs, glacier and Alaska hikes, cycling events like Bike for Friendship). Specialized offerings include the Sibling Connection program, Children's Torah Circle, and scholarship support for online access. With 80+ chapters across the US, Canada, and beyond, the organization serves over 3,000 individuals and families annually through these integrated programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Team Friendship: Adventure-based fundraising program of Friendship Circle, offering endurance events including marathons, cycling, hiking, and Kilimanjaro climbs to raise funds for special needs inclusion programs.
• Friendship Circle Online (FCO)

Products and services

• Friendship Circle Program A nonprofit network connecting teen volunteers with children, teens, and adults with special needs through 80+ local chapters, providing weekly one-on-one visits, group programs, and community events for families.
• Friends@Home One-on-one home visits pairing trained teen volunteers (Buddies) with children who have special needs for regular weekly visits focused on shared activities in a familiar home setting.
• Friendship Circle Online Virtual programming that connects individuals with special needs and teen volunteers across geographies through live weekly sessions, scholarship-supported for families, with seasonal camps (winter, spring, summer, STEM, theater).
• Walk4Friendship Flagship annual fundraising walk bringing together participants, volunteers, and families to raise awareness about inclusion while strengthening community ties.
• Team Friendship Adventure-based fundraising program where participants train for and complete endurance events including marathons, Kilimanjaro climbs, glacier and Alaska hikes, and cycling events (Bike for Friendship) to raise funds for Friendship Circle programs.
• LifeTown Inclusive facility (Ferber Kaufman LifeTown and Farber Soul Center) equipped for group activities, social events, and structured life skills experiences where teens and individuals with special needs gather weekly.
• Sports Nights Group physical activities that encourage teamwork, coordination, and social interaction between teen volunteers and individuals with special needs in an inclusive environment.
• Life Skills Training Sessions focused on practical skill-building for individuals with special needs to promote independence and confidence.
• Sibling Connection Events specifically designed for siblings of individuals with special needs, providing peer support groups, adventure outings, and skills workshops to help brothers and sisters connect through shared experiences.
• Children's Torah Circle Educational program that blends religious learning with friendship-building for children, integrating Torah study with opportunities for social connection.
• Friendship Circle Camps (Winter, Spring, Summer, STEM, Theater) Seasonal overnight and online camps (winter, spring, summer, STEM, theater) providing immersive experiences where children with special needs and teen volunteers engage in arts, sports, science, and performing-arts activities and form lasting friendships.
• Holiday Programs Seasonal celebrations including Hanukkah parties and Purim celebrations that bring together participants, volunteers, and families.
• Friendship Circle Online Scholarship Financial assistance program providing support for families to access Friendship Circle Online programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• 76% of adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities involved in structured friendship programs form relationships beyond their family and staff
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NYC Marathon (NYRR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriendship Circle is an official charity partner of the TCS New York City Marathon. The marathon allocates guaranteed entry spots to charity partners, which Friendship Circle distributes to Team Friendship runners. Charity runners commit to fundraising minimums ($6,000 for NYC Marathon) that support Friendship Circle programs. This partnership provides guaranteed marathon entries while raising awareness and funds for special needs inclusion.
• Philadelphia MarathoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFriendship Circle secures charity bibs for the Philadelphia Marathon (November 22, 2026), offering Team Friendship runners guaranteed entry in exchange for fundraising commitments that support special needs programs.
• Miami MarathoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeam Friendship's annual Miami Marathon event began in 2012 and has grown to 200+ runners participating in a weekend-long retreat. The partnership provides guaranteed marathon entries for charity runners supporting Friendship Circle.
• Bike 4 Friendship Route PartnersminorOthersLocal Friendship Circle chapters along the Bike 4 Friendship cross-country route hosted the three cyclists, provided community connections, and served as fundraising beneficiaries. The 2011 ride visited 22 Friendship Circle branches across America.
• Livingston Friendship CirclecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNew Jersey's largest Friendship Circle chapter and the world's second largest after Detroit. Hosted the official starting point of the Bike 4 Friendship ride, with 100 individuals with special needs participating in Olivia's Friendship Ride.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• YAI (Young Adult Institute): YAI is a large nonprofit network providing programs and services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including education, residential, and community programs. It serves a similar beneficiary population but with a much broader service portfolio than Friendship Circle's friendship-focused model.
• JCC Association of North America: JCCs (Jewish Community Centers) are membership-based community organizations that host programming, education, and recreation. Many Friendship Circle chapters operate out of or partner with JCCs, and the JCC network provides overlapping community infrastructure and volunteer recruitment.
• Special Olympics: Special Olympics is a global nonprofit providing sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities. It overlaps with Friendship Circle's beneficiary population but delivers value through athletic programming rather than one-to-one friendship pairing.
• Jewish Federation of North America: Jewish Federation is a large umbrella nonprofit with infrastructure that Friendship Circle chapters often plug into. While broader in scope (education, social services, advocacy), it shares the Jewish communal foundation and supports many of the same communities and donor networks that Friendship Circle draws upon.
• The Arc: The Arc is a national nonprofit organization serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through advocacy, services, and family support. It addresses the same population but emphasizes advocacy and services rather than one-to-one friendship relationships.

Emerging players

• National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS): NDSS is a national nonprofit advocating for individuals with Down syndrome and their families through community programs, education, and research. It serves part of Friendship Circle's broader beneficiary population with a focus on a specific disability community.
• Camp Ramah (National Ramah Commission): Camp Ramah is a Jewish summer camp network that includes Tikvah programs for campers with special needs. It shares Friendship Circle's Jewish-community anchor and special needs inclusion focus, with overlap in teen volunteer engagement and seasonal programming.

Regional players

• Mencap (UK): Mencap is the UK's leading charity for people with learning disabilities, providing services, advocacy, and community programs. It is mission-comparable to Friendship Circle but operates primarily in the UK rather than overlapping geographies.

Direct peers

• Chai Lifeline: Chai Lifeline is a Jewish nonprofit serving children with serious illnesses and special needs, offering volunteer-driven programs, recreational services, and crisis support. It shares Friendship Circle's Jewish-community anchor, volunteer-based service delivery, and special needs focus.
• Best Buddies International: Best Buddies is a nonprofit that creates one-to-one friendships between people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and volunteer peers. It directly parallels Friendship Circle's buddy-pairing model, with similar programs, fundraising runs/auctions, and chapter-based volunteer structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FriendshipCircl
• Facebookfacebook.com/fcinternational
• Instagraminstagram.com/fcinternational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friendship-circle

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Friendship Circle