Author: Johanna Ginsberg

Purpose and perspective: Volunteer Kickoff 2023

These teens would rather volunteer than have down time in their days. Making others feel good about themselves leads them to appreciate what they have in their lives. They are the Friendship Circle teen volunteers,...

Dog Treats

“I did it!” exclaimed 18-year-old John as Duncan, a golden doodle sporting a blue Friendship Circle cape, wagged his fluffy tail and finished chewing his treat. John, a student in Hackensack High School’s special...

Good Morning America Features LifeTown

The popular morning talk show Good Morning America aired a feature about LifeTown on September 6. Kate and Charlie Gibson tour the facility, lingering in the LifeTown Shoppes area, emphasizing the skills people with...

Everybody in the Pool! Summer Camp 2023! 

This summer, with a brand new zero entry pool at LifeTown, children had a chance to play, make new friends and cool off with water play. For four weeks, 90 campers and 150 teen...

Dads Night Out: It’s Not About the Golfing

When Marc Weissberg of Springfield headed out to Anchor Golf Center in Whippany for the Friendship Circle’s annual Dads Night Out event, he left his golf clubs at home. Why? It’s not about the...

Parents Night Out, Board & Brush Edition

Creating farmhouse-style home decorations, monogramming and painting wood boards while enjoying elegant fare and one another’s company, about 35 couples spent a late July evening together at LifeTown. Nights out together are an integral...

Summer Camp: Sunny with a Chance of Bubbles

The boys are shouting and giggling as they head into the pool. Shai squirts water from a Styrofoam noodle, as Sam slowly rolls down the ramp into the zero-entry pool in the water wheelchair...

Mah Jongg Madness

A light hum of chatter mixed with the clatter of tiles as nearly 30 people sat around six square tables at LifeTown on a recent Wednesday night playing mah jongg. While experienced players at...