Federation Celebrates Friendship With COVID Grant

Since the pandemic began, Friendship Circle has continually offered an array of virtual programs and social-distancing events to ensure that people with special needs and their families feel a communal connection during these unprecedented times.

Recognizing the importance of these programs to the community, the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ gave Friendship Circle a $25,000 emergency grant for COVID-related summer programs.

“I’m deeply proud that the Emergency Response Team of our Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ has allocated an additional $25,000 for COVID-19 related expenses for Friendship Circle to help our community’s special needs population,” said  Federation’s executive vice president and CEO Dov Ben-Shimon. “We’re grateful to our friends and partners in Friendship Circle for providing safe virtual and distanced programs, while maintaining personal touches and social connections.”

Friendship Circle CEO Rabbi Zalman Grossbaum thanked Federation for its generosity, noting how important this funding is to continuing FC’s vital work during the pandemic.

“We can’t thank Federation enough for its incredible grant to support Friendship Circle’s COVID summer programs. Our partnership with Federation allows us to keep on doing more and more for the families and children during this very challenging time,” he said. “The crisis that many special needs families are facing is overwhelming, but knowing that the community cares for them and is with them, makes the burden that much easier. We are blessed to live in an incredible community that cares so much.”

This is the second emergency-funding grant Federation has awarded Friendship Circle in recent months. FC previously received $18,000 in emergency aid. Additionally, families who enrolled in FC’s virtual summer camps are eligible for a reimbursement of up to $180.