LT year in review 2013

LifeTown Volunteers
Without our dedicated volunteers, this program would not be possible.
Leesa Abell
Annette Adams
Buki Adejobi
Gurwin Ahuja
Elaine Alecusan
Andrew Allen
Ashley Allen
Latoya Anderson
Sheryl Angart
Charlene Arbaugh
Natalia Ardila
Jill Armstrong
Sharon Arnett
Sonia Sniderman Aron
Bob Aronson
Jonathan Ash
Mark Ash
Jamie Attrell
Marianne Atwell
Rohasha Ausberry
Kelsey Babcock
Ingrid Babri
Kadiatou Bah
Mark Bahar
Katie Baioni Giancola
Michelle Baker
Jennifer Bakle
Ayana Ball
Susie Banchefsky
Deanna Banks
Jared Barath
Lois Bare
Charlotte Barksdale
Nicole Barnes
Ty Baskin
Elizabeth Bates
Battle
Robert Bauma
Seth Becker
Zach Beers
Jenni Belford
Roger Benjamin
Kimberly Benzie
Bob Berger
Seth Berko
James Bevins
Rebecca Bilkovic
Kim Binsky
Rebecca Bird
Mindy Bisesi
Kory Blair
Alisha Blair
Mack Blankenship
Briannna Blubaugh
Taylor Bluming
Cassandra Blusiewicz
Marjorie Boeshansz
Sara Boetcher
Misti Bonacci
Jenna Bookman
Matt Bores
Pam Borovetz
Evelina Bovshovets
Katie Bowers
Isabel Bozada
Mila Brener
Alec Brickey
Sarah Brigham
Timothy Brophy
Moniqua Brown
Tammy Brown
Adrienne Brown
Betty Brown
Justin Brown
Samantha Brown
Jenny Buchanam
Joe Buck
Priscilla Buckingham
Myrna Buckle
Nabiyu Bule
Suzanne Bumbera
Michelle Burkhardt
Brittany Burnett
Kristin Burns
Jennifer Cabrera
Ellie Caldwell
Tara Campbell
Ashley Carter
Elizabeth Cedeno
Mallory Centers
Amy Chafin
Amanda Chapman
Ya-Wen Chung
Brady Churches
Teresa Clark
Megan A. Clayton
Allesea Cline
Erin Clippinger
Kimberly Close
Ethan Clunk
Amber Coburn
Bailey Coffin
Bruce Cohen
Rachael Cohen
Melanie Colbert
Chyni Coleman
Latonya Collier
David Collins
Lisa Collins
Machelle Collins
Alexis Comer
Lindsey Compton
Natalie Conkle
Kelli Conley
Kayla Conrad
Chic Conroy
Rebecca Cornell
Emily Craig
Shawn Crawford
Allison Criger
Chloe Crites
Erin Crome
Tiana Daniel
Emily Daniels
Amanda Daniels
Nikhil Datta
Jill Davis
Liz Davy
Alyscia De Francisco
Christine Decker
Deidra Decoito
Tracey Denniston
Ann Deshe
Susan Diamond
Pam Dickson
Julie Dilullo
Kristin Dimarco
Adriel Doan
John Donahue
Samantha Douglas
Danielle Downie
Shaina Dugan
Paige Dunlavy
Bill Dyer
Douglas Eagle
Nkechi Edeh
Phyllis Edelstein
Melinda Edwards
Litfa Edwards
Kirsten Eickert
Jodi Eldred
Deborah Eldred
Dan Elliot
Kasey Elliott
Jessica Ellis
Caroline Emoff
Diane English
Stacy Ervin
Ashley Espinosa
Hyunsoon (Julie) Eum
Cindy Evans
Adele Evans
Christian Evans
Ashley Ewing
Hong Fan
Laura Fanning
Fred Feibelman
Fan Feng
Kalyn Ferguson
Samantha Ferreira
Peg Ferrell
Emily Ferreras
Jeannine Ferry
Lacresha Fine
Tony Fine
Janet Fireman
Leslie Fisher
Katey Fishley
Josh Fishman
Julie Fishman
Marilyn Fishman
Matt Flame
Kelly Flood
Lauren Flynn
Ashley Folkerth
Michael Forrest
Lauren Foust
Allison Fox
Leslie Fox
Darren Frank
Lynne Freeman
Cheri Friedman
Natalia Frstekova
Marie Fudacz
Benjamin Funk
Kathleen Fusco
Jodi Gaier
Erin Gaild
Melanie Gall
Stacy Garguilo
Makenzie Gaton
Jeanie Gayagoy
Niug Ge
Teresa Ghee
Larry Gilbert
Rhoda Gilbert
Linda Gillis
Anna Giuliani
Julie Given
Sandy Glassman
Gg Glenn
Susan Goeschl
Margie Goldach
Kim Golden
Robin Goldfein
Alex Goldshteyn
Bai Gong
Megan Good
Mark Gossett
Tammi Gourley
Chastity Graham
Erika Graves
Alex Gray
Latoya Green
Dani Greenberg
Amy Greenberg
Rebecca Greenlee
Lakeisha Greer
Julianne Gresh
Rowen Grey
Lisa Griebel
Tonya Grieco
Aubrey Griffith
Shila Griffith
Michele Guervitz
Angela Guido
Bonnie Guller-Montera
Megan Hall
Devon Hampp
Jennifer Handel
Carol Handler
Jessica Harbert
Erin Hardin
Grant Harlan
Melanie Harper
Heather Hartley
Shalena Hawkins
Summer Hayes
Traci Haynes
Sarah Heaven
Jennifer Heffner
Jamie Heineman
Jennifer Heitmeyer
Katie Helton
Connie Hendren
Marianne Hennerfeind
Bridget Henze
Fallon Hester
Kirbie Hill
Shannon Hill
Ben Himmelreich
Tanya Hines
Jacqueline Ho
Annette Hoelzer
Amy Hoffman
Emily Holbrook
Lisa Holt
Lauren Hosler
Tyler Houser
Vicki Houston
Stacey Howell
Alesha Howze
Matthew Hronec
Ci Ci Huang
Cassandra Hummel
Holly Hunt
Rebecca Hunt
Lynn Hunter
Lettie Huyghe
Sarah Hwang
Sarah Hyde
Hilary Hysell
Oroma Igwe
Erin Ineman
Brittiney Ingram
Dana Isaacs
Selina Jackson
Anne-Marie Jacob
Fran Jacobs
Kyle Jacobs
Krisitin Jaffe
Nancy James
Roberto Jesi
Russell Jipson
Kanisha Johnson
Anita Johnson
Melissa Johnson
Shelli Johnson
Ryan Johnston
Jennifer Jones
Amber Jones
Lisa Jones
Nancy Jones
Jessica Jordan
Breana Jordan
Courtney Kahrmann
Cori Kandel-Galloway
Jessica Kane
Ross Karmia
Anisa Kastle
Joesph Kausits
Rachel Kawchak
Lauren Kendall
Maryam Khan
Andrew Kieta
Kelsey Kincade
Julie Kink
Anne Kirchner
Randy Kleinman
Bettye Jane Klinger
Ron Kohr
Michael Kopper
Dalia Koppes
Kali Kotterman
Alexis Kougendakis
Matthew Koval
Sari Kraisner
Mira Krivoshey
Haley Kruse
Kristin Krzic
Chad Kuhlwein
Amanda Kuhn
Maansi Kulkarni
Emma Kuniman
Ashley Kusher
Scott Kustis
Irene Kyai
Janae Lagrange
Ronny Lambotte
Shannon Lang
Shuhua Lao
Becca Laskey
Chelsea Lauck
Bebe Lavin
Zhi-Qi Le
Jeremy Leach
Kelly Leciejewski
Si Lee
Tina Lee
Roni Leeman
Emily Leffel
Catherine Leisring
Lacey Leitnaker
Keri Lemley
Megan Lents
Mary Jo Leventhal
Stacy Levin
Ed Levine
Josh Levine
Marla Levine
Karen Levy
Latonya Lewis
Mary Lewis
Samantha Lewis
Shelly Lewis
Roman Lexi
Jessica Liang
David Lille
Emily Lin
Courtney Lind
Sari Linkus
Oystein Lokken
Xinzi Long
Mary Loochtan
Maria Lopes
Victoria Lowman
Kayleigh Luchshaw
Judith Lux
Dorothy Lybarger
Mary Macynski
Pila Manivong
Jackie Marowitz
Michelle Marowitz
Jeff Marshall
Sue Martin
Tyler Mastrilli
Kim Masturzo
Ginni May
Bethany Maynard
Ashley Mccarthy
Aaron Mcclendon
Robin Mccormick
Derek Mccoy
Sarah Mcgarity
Susan Mckee
Ellen Mckee
Kelly Mcneil
Kayte Mcpherson
Katherine Meara
Courtney Mechkour
Michal Mendelson
Cara Messaros
Donna Metsker
Debbie Meyer
Emily Meyer
Demi Michell
Jason Milburn
Megan Milburn
Lauren Miles
Michael Miles
Corinne Miller
Emily Miller
Joshua Miller
Jr Miller
Catherine Miller
Maureen Million
Chris Milliron
Joey Millspaugh
Sherri Mirones
Rachel Mitcham
Gloria Mitchell
Sarah Mitchell
Tad Mitchell
Gretchen Moerch
Justin Molinex
Nora Molter
Brittany Momburg
Kara Moody
Debbie Moore
Maya Morant
Jessica Morris
Mike Mosteller
Brian Munch
Emily Murnane
Emily Nace
Asumi Nam
Suzie Neal
Lisa Newman
Angela Nichols
Sarah Davis Nolan
Erin Noone
Brittany Nottke
Ellie Nowels
Christina O’keefe
Elizabeth Olds
Kim Oliver
Adrienne Olzinger
Laura Orahoske
Jess Ordonez
Korey Osborn
Amanda Oster
Christine Ouellette
Emily Owen
Olayinka Oyawusi
Parin Pandya
Elisa Panico
Zoë Papadis
Kayla Pappas
David Pariser
Robin Parks
Tamyka Parnell
Brooke Parsley
Shelby Parsons
Rakesh Patel
Manthan Patel
Erica Payne
Katherine Payne
Evan Payton
Amy Peabody
Adam Peal
Jan Pekula
Rachel Pennington
Eliza Pereira
Erin Petticrew
Molly Phelps
Cindy Phillips
Alli Phillips
Kristen Pietro
Traci Pifer
Kelsey Pizza
Laura Plutt
Jennifer Pollock
Anastasia Popp
Willie Posey
Sue Potts
Danny Pritchard
Ada Pullie
Tracy Purcell
Xinting Qung
Jane Rabe
Lindy Ramsey
Amy Ramsey
Sherri Rarey
Zac Ratliff
Shannon Rece
Stacey Reigle
Kate Reiner
Sydni Reynolds
Monique Rich-Barge
Ronni Richards
Laurel Richardson
Stephanie Richardson
Kay Rietz
Clay Risinger
Rachel Robinette
Haley Robinson
Leah Robinson
Melanie Rocha
Angelica Rodriguez
Kelly Ruth Roempler
Jamie Rogovin
Linda Rogovin
Ryan Romes
Murielle Rosenberg
Farahnaz Roshanipour
Stacie Rott
Gail Rubin
Bill Rudner
Bonnie Rudner
Lauren Sadler
Lesley Saeed
Volunteer Salyer
Chris Samons
Arica Sandler
Mindy Santilli
Janelle Sapp
L Sargent
Andrea Scales
Chelsea Schachner
Annamarie Schaffield
Marcy Schaffir
Madeline Schiebel
Patricia Schiff
Stephanie Schiff
Jill Schmall
Jennifer Schmitt
Rhonda Schottenstein
Sean Scott
Donita Scott
Eyphamia Scott
Darrell Seabrook
Arlene/Milton Setnar
Caitlin Sewell
Tekiyah Shabazz
Yi Shan
Christy Shanyfelt
Aubrey Shapiro
Myra Sharfin
Shiyan Shen
Paul Shepard
Yvonne Shepherd
Olivia Sherck
Jennifer Sherman
Geno Shifrin
Mitch Shifrin
Barbara Shifrin
Steven Shiplett
Danielle Short
Sharon Simmons
Jessica Sims
Ashley Slyman
Chrissy Smith
Katerra Smith
Stephanie Smith
Anne Smith
Anntonia Smith
Candice Smith
Napriya Smith
Rachel Smith
Ruth Sniderman
Diane Sokolov
Youngsun Song
Johnathan Sosebee
Kelsie Spangler
Devin Spencer
Delores Spriggs
Elizabeth Stacy
Hannah Starr
Mary Starr
Vince Stasiulewicz
Julia Steen
Samantha Steffensmeier
Dee Dee Stein
Susan Stein
Jessica Stevanus
Shainna Sticklen
Jason Still
Camille Stuckey
Kara Suffel
Kayla Swain
Talena Swank
Jillian Swartzentruber
Emily Tassin
Deborah Taylor
Erin Taylor
Alaina Taylor
Christopher Tayloy
Mary Teegarden
Milkah Thiongo
Jaquetta Thomas
Yvonne Thomas
Kaye Thompson
Miranda Thompson
Tommy Thompson
Nicole Thurmond
Kristin Tilley
Jenna Timmons
Christian Tobar
Sherri Tobin
Kelsey Tobin
Frank Tomera
Olivia Toukan
Debra Toyloy
Katy Trader
Peggy Trump
Sheena Turner
Cristy Turner
Sara Turney
Brandi Union
Adria Urell
Katrina Valera
Craig Vangas
Ibed Vargas
Bailey Vazquez
Sindhu Velu
Stacy Vickroy
Leah Villafores
Maria Del Carmen Melo
Villalobos
Carly Vinborg
Dan Vogel
Rose (Maddie) Vogel
Geoff Vonbargen
Stacie Wade
Angie Waderker
Mike Walker
Scott Walker
Zach Walker
Ashley Wallace
Andrea Walsh
Daniel Wander
Karen Wander
Choo Wang
Effy Wang
Ni Wang
Yujia Wang
William (Evan) Ward
Ken Warren
Shontell Warren
Dashawn Washington
Dean Washington Iii
Kelsey Weaver
Allison Webb-Fitch
Sally Weimer
Esther Weisman
Tammy Weisman
Arlene Weiss
Alexis Wells
Meryl Weprin
Yiscah Weprin
Melanie Wernert
Chlondra Whipple
Allie Whitaker
Chris Whitcraft
Melissa White
Lisa White
Matthew White
Eric Wickham
Chris Wickiser
Hannah Wilde
Jayanna Wilder
Brianne Wildermuth
Charisse Wilkins
Heather Williams
Jean Williams
Jenny Williams
Jon Williams
Teresa Willson
Damon Wise
Ashley Wise
Jonathan Wlash
Jennifer Wollenberg
Cindy Wolt
Lauren Wood
Keshia Woodall
Frank Woods
Jennifer Worthington
Kaitlyn Wright
Stephanie Wright
Mabel Wu
Sara Wu
Eric Wunderlich
Shirley Wygle
Brent Wyrick
Hong Xu
Vincent Xu
Judy Yalowich
Dalong Yang
Susan Yost
Emily Young
Caryl Lynn Young
Wenke Zhan
Yuqing Zhang
Xunzhu Zhou
Yudan Zhou
Carolyn Zinkon
Andy Zitney
Katrina Zvosec
Rick Zwelling
LifeTown Columbus | Friendship Circle 6220 E. Dublin-Granville Road, New Albany, OH 43054 | (614) 939-0765 | www.lifetowncolumbus.org | www.friendscolumbus.com
2013 In Review
Thanks to Our Donors for Changing Lives!
A Message to our Friends
We are pleased—no, thrilled—to share our
gratitude with you.
Thanks to your support, LifeTown and
Friendship Circle have had a banner
year, serving increasingly more students
than ever before with programs that are
impacting children and their families in
deeper ways than ever before.
Unprecedented support from individuals and businesses
in our community has enabled critical expansions to our
curriculum and facility. Inside this report we have detailed
some of the exciting upgrades and projects underway that
will make 2014 a truly groundbreaking year for the children
with disabilities we serve.
All of this has been possible because of you and your
belief that children with disabilities are an important part
of our community. We don’t give up on our children. Quite
the contrary: We give them the best resources possible to
enable their success.
For children with serious disabilities in
central Ohio, those resources are LifeTown
and Friendship Circle. There is nothing
similar—nothing that allows this level of
hands-on learning and mentorship—in
Franklin County, or even within the state
of Ohio.
Thank you for being a part of our village
and for believing in us. You are making a
huge difference in the lives of children and families in our
community. Here’s to an amazing 2014!
Warmest regards,
Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann, Executive Director
Esther Kaltmann, LifeTown-Friendship Circle Director
“Friendship Circle Changed My Son’s Life”
A mother describes the tremendous experience Friendship Circle has been for her son,
while teaching the whole family what friendship really means
When her son Khoury, now 10, started in the Friendship
Circle program two-and-a-half years ago, his mother Kelly
did not know what to expect.
or out for pizza, there
was always plenty
of fun to be had.
“Before, it was like other kids were just putting up with him,”
says Kelly, admitting that it can be challenging at times for
Khoury to make friends due to his Asperger’s and ADHD.
“It’s been a
phenomenal
experience for the
whole family,” says
Kelly, describing how
the mentors have also
embraced her daughter, Katelyn. “It’s like the mentors have
become a part of our family.”
Through Friendship Circle’s unique mentorship program that
pairs children with disabilities with local high school and
college volunteers,
Khoury has formed
deep friendships
with several
mentors. Whether
the mentors have
visited Khoury
at home or
accompanied the
family on trips to
the zoo, bowling,
Kelly and her husband Kevin also appreciate that Friendship
Circle is available to their family free of charge. While Kelly
and Kevin earn a modest living as schoolteachers, their
income sometimes disqualifies them from programs that
would benefit Khoury. “We’re often told we earn too much
to participate in certain programs,” says Kelly. “Thank
goodness Friendship Circle allows Khoury to have such
a positive experience!”
Our Corporate Donors Make a Difference!
Check out the stories below to learn how donors are enabling support for operations and critical expansions of our curriculum and facility
INGRAM-WHITE CASTLE FOUNDATION/COLUMBUS FOUNDATION
CVS CAREMARK CHARITABLE TRUST
Thanks to a generous gift from the Ingram-White Castle Foundation, with additional
support from the Columbus Foundation, LifeTown is in the process of adding a
pre-vocational skills module to the curriculum for children in elementary and
middle school.
Significant corporate support from CVS Caremark Charitable
Trust with additional support from the Columbus Youth
Foundation and other individual donors enabled LifeTown
to build the first universal playground in Franklin County—
and only the second in the state of Ohio.
This exciting new curriculum will empower younger students by developing vocational
awareness through the magic of role-play, as they try on different identities such as
shopkeepers and more. “Students will gain an appreciation for the relationship
between work and money in LifeTown’s immersive setting, where they learn
through trial and error in the safety of our simulated town”, shares Friendship
Circle-LifeTown Director, Esther Kaltmann.
“We support all children, including children with special needs, in their efforts
to understand the world of work. Their familiarity with the requirements,
expectations, challenges, and rewards of employment will make them better
employees. LifeTown’s expansion to include this opportunity for children to
experience the expectations of the workforce is just one example of how the
program remains state of the art and a good investment for funders,” said
Lisa Courtice, EVP, The Columbus Foundation.
“Lifetown’s commitment to enrich and empower young people with disabilities
is a vivid demonstration of feeding hope and feeding dreams. We are honored
to support Lifetown’s creative approach and the spirit of independence it will
provide the children they serve,” said Edgar W. (Bill) Ingram III, President,
Ingram-White Castle Foundation.
LifeTown is grateful to Ingram-White Castle Foundation
and The Columbus
Foundation for
helping children
with disabilities
take a critical
step toward
independence.
CARDINAL HEALTH
LifeTown is grateful to our partners at Cardinal Health for providing
support for a new addition to our village: prescription drug misuse and
abuse educational programming.
Thanks to the Cardinal Health Foundation, LifeTown will help children
with disabilities understand the responsibilities involved with prescription
drugs and develop protective factors to reduce the risk for substance
abuse. These skills are especially critical given that research shows 86%
of children with special health care needs regularly use prescription
medications and persons with any type of disability experience substance
abuse (prescription and illicit drugs) at rates of two to four times that of
the general population.
Targeted programming that can be adjusted based
on the age of the participant and the abilities of
the specific individual will spread this message
from elementary to high school students.
“LifeTown offers a unique, immersive approach to
life skills training for children with disabilities.
Cardinal Health is proud to partner with LifeTown
to increase awareness of the dangers of misusing
and abusing prescription medications and about
the proper use and disposal of prescription drugs”,
said Betsy Walker, community relations manager
for Cardinal Health.
CVS’s support for this new playground has ensured that all
children, regardless of ability, can participate in
unstructured play and develop language skills, decisionmaking abilities, and social interaction. “We are thrilled to
support deserving non-profit organizations that share our
commitment to helping people on their path to better
health,” said Eileen Howard Boone, President, CVS
Caremark Charitable Trust. “As we strive to build healthier
communities, we are honored to recognize the work that
LifeTown and the Lori Schottenstein Chabad Center is
doing to improve the
quality of life for
children of all
abilities and making
a positive impact on
families in the
Columbus area.”
WALMART FOUNDATION STATE GIVING COUNCIL
LifeTown was thrilled to receive a huge show of support from
Walmart in 2013, as Walmart representatives presented LifeTown’s
Executive Director, Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann, with a check for $50,000
for the organization’s services for children with disabilities.
Said Matt Burke, Walmart market manager for central Ohio, “Our
central Ohio Walmart stores and the Walmart Foundation seek
opportunities to give back locally by supporting organizations that
are committed to making our communities better. Making a
difference so that children with special needs have an opportunity
at a better life
is the mission
of LifeTown
and we are
proud to
support their
commitment
to these
students.”
L-BRANDS
Support from the L-Brands Foundation in 2013 has added a new
dimension to the experience in LifeTown’s Salon. Now, when children
with disabilities visit the Salon, in addition to enjoying services such
as manicures, hair styling, and hand massages, they may also experience
aromatherapy with products from L-Brands’ Bath and Body Works.
Aromatherapy has proven benefits for wellness and will help students
visiting LifeTown to develop coping mechanisms for managing anxiety
and increase social interaction through aromatherapy massage
within the Salon. “LifeTown provides rare, valuable and creative
avenues for students with disabilities. L-Brands is grateful to be a part
of the salon experience at LifeTown by supporting their program
promoting the benefits of positive well-being through Bath & Body
Works aromatherapy products,” L-Brands spokesperson and LifeTown
Corporate Ambassador, Donna Metsker, International Logistics.
2013
New Junior Advisory Board
Launched in 2013
by the numbers
Young professionals to lead new
initiatives to garner awareness and support
for LifeTown and Friendship Circle
LifeTown
In late 2013, LifeTown and Friendship Circle officially
launched a new Junior Advisory Board in an effort to harness
the creativity and energy of young professionals in support
of this unique programming for children with disabilities.
With 15 inaugural members representing corporations
including Cardinal Health, L Brands, Honda, Abercrombie
and Fitch, JP Morgan, and more, the Junior Advisory Board
is off to a wonderful start.
Stephanie Smith, Cardinal Health employee and former
LifeTown volunteer, describes the board’s goals as twofold:
“To help advance LifeTown and Friendship Circle’s missions,
while also providing a way for young professionals to
become involved in the community in an ongoing way.”
The Junior Advisory Board has so far christened three
committees that will tackle community awareness and
marketing; fundraising; and mentorship and education.
Says Smith, “It’s an exciting process as we’re deciding
what our focuses should be and how we can best help the
organization. Forming this board is something we can all
band together and work on as a team.”
LifeTown Junior Advisory Board
Chelsey Craigo
Cardinal Health
Sarah Irwin
Cardinal Health
Jonathan Mullins
Cardinal Health
Ami Desai
Cardinal Health
Todd LaPlace
L-Brands
Laura Myers
Cardinal Health
Jennifer Hegrat
Bath & Body Works
Rita Liner
Goodale Auto Parts
Kelly O’Conner
Cardinal Health
Tara Holmes
L-Brands
Meghan McAuley
JP Morgan
Stephanie Smith
Cardinal Health
Jason Gordon
Honda
Hannah Moore
Abercrombie and Fitch
Teja Vadlamudi
Cardinal Health
LifeTown Corporate Ambassadors
Many thanks to this seasoned group of professionals for
providing guidance to our Junior Advisory Board!
Ron Carmen, D.D.S.
Brady Churches
Ric Dillon
Cindy Ezzo
Don Feinstein
Don Garlikov (Co-Chair)
David Karam
Robert Levy
Donna Metsker
Tad Mitchell
Richard Rogovin
Eric Rubin
Michael Schiff
Michael Schlonsky
Michael Stickney
Rodney Wasserstrom
Skip Weiler (Co-Chair)
Arlene Weiss
Jay Worly
4,160 individual student visits
60 different schools
13 school districts
5 counties
Friendship Circle
40 Group Events
60 families served
436 Home Visits
Volunteers
15 Junior Advisory Board Volunteers
45 College Friendship Circle Volunteers
54 Teens Friendship Circle Volunteers
744 Adult LifeTown Volunteers
Volunteer Hours
116 Junior Advisory Board Hours
214 Friendship Circle Group Event Volunteer Hours
872 Friendship Circle Home Visit Volunteer Hours
4360 LifeTown Volunteer Hours
Our Corporate Donors Make a Difference!
Check out the stories below to learn how donors are enabling support for operations and critical expansions of our curriculum and facility
INGRAM-WHITE CASTLE FOUNDATION/COLUMBUS FOUNDATION
CVS CAREMARK CHARITABLE TRUST
Thanks to a generous gift from the Ingram-White Castle Foundation, with additional
support from the Columbus Foundation, LifeTown is in the process of adding a
pre-vocational skills module to the curriculum for children in elementary and
middle school.
Significant corporate support from CVS Caremark Charitable
Trust with additional support from the Columbus Youth
Foundation and other individual donors enabled LifeTown
to build the first universal playground in Franklin County—
and only the second in the state of Ohio.
This exciting new curriculum will empower younger students by developing vocational
awareness through the magic of role-play, as they try on different identities such as
shopkeepers and more. “Students will gain an appreciation for the relationship
between work and money in LifeTown’s immersive setting, where they learn
through trial and error in the safety of our simulated town”, shares Friendship
Circle-LifeTown Director, Esther Kaltmann.
“We support all children, including children with special needs, in their efforts
to understand the world of work. Their familiarity with the requirements,
expectations, challenges, and rewards of employment will make them better
employees. LifeTown’s expansion to include this opportunity for children to
experience the expectations of the workforce is just one example of how the
program remains state of the art and a good investment for funders,” said
Lisa Courtice, EVP, The Columbus Foundation.
“Lifetown’s commitment to enrich and empower young people with disabilities
is a vivid demonstration of feeding hope and feeding dreams. We are honored
to support Lifetown’s creative approach and the spirit of independence it will
provide the children they serve,” said Edgar W. (Bill) Ingram III, President,
Ingram-White Castle Foundation.
LifeTown is grateful to Ingram-White Castle Foundation
and The Columbus
Foundation for
helping children
with disabilities
take a critical
step toward
independence.
CARDINAL HEALTH
LifeTown is grateful to our partners at Cardinal Health for providing
support for a new addition to our village: prescription drug misuse and
abuse educational programming.
Thanks to the Cardinal Health Foundation, LifeTown will help children
with disabilities understand the responsibilities involved with prescription
drugs and develop protective factors to reduce the risk for substance
abuse. These skills are especially critical given that research shows 86%
of children with special health care needs regularly use prescription
medications and persons with any type of disability experience substance
abuse (prescription and illicit drugs) at rates of two to four times that of
the general population.
Targeted programming that can be adjusted based
on the age of the participant and the abilities of
the specific individual will spread this message
from elementary to high school students.
“LifeTown offers a unique, immersive approach to
life skills training for children with disabilities.
Cardinal Health is proud to partner with LifeTown
to increase awareness of the dangers of misusing
and abusing prescription medications and about
the proper use and disposal of prescription drugs”,
said Betsy Walker, community relations manager
for Cardinal Health.
CVS’s support for this new playground has ensured that all
children, regardless of ability, can participate in
unstructured play and develop language skills, decisionmaking abilities, and social interaction. “We are thrilled to
support deserving non-profit organizations that share our
commitment to helping people on their path to better
health,” said Eileen Howard Boone, President, CVS
Caremark Charitable Trust. “As we strive to build healthier
communities, we are honored to recognize the work that
LifeTown and the Lori Schottenstein Chabad Center is
doing to improve the
quality of life for
children of all
abilities and making
a positive impact on
families in the
Columbus area.”
WALMART FOUNDATION STATE GIVING COUNCIL
LifeTown was thrilled to receive a huge show of support from
Walmart in 2013, as Walmart representatives presented LifeTown’s
Executive Director, Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann, with a check for $50,000
for the organization’s services for children with disabilities.
Said Matt Burke, Walmart market manager for central Ohio, “Our
central Ohio Walmart stores and the Walmart Foundation seek
opportunities to give back locally by supporting organizations that
are committed to making our communities better. Making a
difference so that children with special needs have an opportunity
at a better life
is the mission
of LifeTown
and we are
proud to
support their
commitment
to these
students.”
L-BRANDS
Support from the L-Brands Foundation in 2013 has added a new
dimension to the experience in LifeTown’s Salon. Now, when children
with disabilities visit the Salon, in addition to enjoying services such
as manicures, hair styling, and hand massages, they may also experience
aromatherapy with products from L-Brands’ Bath and Body Works.
Aromatherapy has proven benefits for wellness and will help students
visiting LifeTown to develop coping mechanisms for managing anxiety
and increase social interaction through aromatherapy massage
within the Salon. “LifeTown provides rare, valuable and creative
avenues for students with disabilities. L-Brands is grateful to be a part
of the salon experience at LifeTown by supporting their program
promoting the benefits of positive well-being through Bath & Body
Works aromatherapy products,” L-Brands spokesperson and LifeTown
Corporate Ambassador, Donna Metsker, International Logistics.
2013
New Junior Advisory Board
Launched in 2013
by the numbers
Young professionals to lead new
initiatives to garner awareness and support
for LifeTown and Friendship Circle
LifeTown
In late 2013, LifeTown and Friendship Circle officially
launched a new Junior Advisory Board in an effort to harness
the creativity and energy of young professionals in support
of this unique programming for children with disabilities.
With 15 inaugural members representing corporations
including Cardinal Health, L Brands, Honda, Abercrombie
and Fitch, JP Morgan, and more, the Junior Advisory Board
is off to a wonderful start.
Stephanie Smith, Cardinal Health employee and former
LifeTown volunteer, describes the board’s goals as twofold:
“To help advance LifeTown and Friendship Circle’s missions,
while also providing a way for young professionals to
become involved in the community in an ongoing way.”
The Junior Advisory Board has so far christened three
committees that will tackle community awareness and
marketing; fundraising; and mentorship and education.
Says Smith, “It’s an exciting process as we’re deciding
what our focuses should be and how we can best help the
organization. Forming this board is something we can all
band together and work on as a team.”
LifeTown Junior Advisory Board
Chelsey Craigo
Cardinal Health
Sarah Irwin
Cardinal Health
Jonathan Mullins
Cardinal Health
Ami Desai
Cardinal Health
Todd LaPlace
L-Brands
Laura Myers
Cardinal Health
Jennifer Hegrat
Bath & Body Works
Rita Liner
Goodale Auto Parts
Kelly O’Conner
Cardinal Health
Tara Holmes
L-Brands
Meghan McAuley
JP Morgan
Stephanie Smith
Cardinal Health
Jason Gordon
Honda
Hannah Moore
Abercrombie and Fitch
Teja Vadlamudi
Cardinal Health
LifeTown Corporate Ambassadors
Many thanks to this seasoned group of professionals for
providing guidance to our Junior Advisory Board!
Ron Carmen, D.D.S.
Brady Churches
Ric Dillon
Cindy Ezzo
Don Feinstein
Don Garlikov (Co-Chair)
David Karam
Robert Levy
Donna Metsker
Tad Mitchell
Richard Rogovin
Eric Rubin
Michael Schiff
Michael Schlonsky
Michael Stickney
Rodney Wasserstrom
Skip Weiler (Co-Chair)
Arlene Weiss
Jay Worly
4,160 individual student visits
60 different schools
13 school districts
5 counties
Friendship Circle
40 Group Events
60 families served
436 Home Visits
Volunteers
15 Junior Advisory Board Volunteers
45 College Friendship Circle Volunteers
54 Teens Friendship Circle Volunteers
744 Adult LifeTown Volunteers
Volunteer Hours
116 Junior Advisory Board Hours
214 Friendship Circle Group Event Volunteer Hours
872 Friendship Circle Home Visit Volunteer Hours
4360 LifeTown Volunteer Hours
LifeTown Volunteers
Without our dedicated volunteers, this program would not be possible.
Leesa Abell
Annette Adams
Buki Adejobi
Gurwin Ahuja
Elaine Alecusan
Andrew Allen
Ashley Allen
Latoya Anderson
Sheryl Angart
Charlene Arbaugh
Natalia Ardila
Jill Armstrong
Sharon Arnett
Sonia Sniderman Aron
Bob Aronson
Jonathan Ash
Mark Ash
Jamie Attrell
Marianne Atwell
Rohasha Ausberry
Kelsey Babcock
Ingrid Babri
Kadiatou Bah
Mark Bahar
Katie Baioni Giancola
Michelle Baker
Jennifer Bakle
Ayana Ball
Susie Banchefsky
Deanna Banks
Jared Barath
Lois Bare
Charlotte Barksdale
Nicole Barnes
Ty Baskin
Elizabeth Bates
Battle
Robert Bauma
Seth Becker
Zach Beers
Jenni Belford
Roger Benjamin
Kimberly Benzie
Bob Berger
Seth Berko
James Bevins
Rebecca Bilkovic
Kim Binsky
Rebecca Bird
Mindy Bisesi
Kory Blair
Alisha Blair
Mack Blankenship
Briannna Blubaugh
Taylor Bluming
Cassandra Blusiewicz
Marjorie Boeshansz
Sara Boetcher
Misti Bonacci
Jenna Bookman
Matt Bores
Pam Borovetz
Evelina Bovshovets
Katie Bowers
Isabel Bozada
Mila Brener
Alec Brickey
Sarah Brigham
Timothy Brophy
Moniqua Brown
Tammy Brown
Adrienne Brown
Betty Brown
Justin Brown
Samantha Brown
Jenny Buchanam
Joe Buck
Priscilla Buckingham
Myrna Buckle
Nabiyu Bule
Suzanne Bumbera
Michelle Burkhardt
Brittany Burnett
Kristin Burns
Jennifer Cabrera
Ellie Caldwell
Tara Campbell
Ashley Carter
Elizabeth Cedeno
Mallory Centers
Amy Chafin
Amanda Chapman
Ya-Wen Chung
Brady Churches
Teresa Clark
Megan A. Clayton
Allesea Cline
Erin Clippinger
Kimberly Close
Ethan Clunk
Amber Coburn
Bailey Coffin
Bruce Cohen
Rachael Cohen
Melanie Colbert
Chyni Coleman
Latonya Collier
David Collins
Lisa Collins
Machelle Collins
Alexis Comer
Lindsey Compton
Natalie Conkle
Kelli Conley
Kayla Conrad
Chic Conroy
Rebecca Cornell
Emily Craig
Shawn Crawford
Allison Criger
Chloe Crites
Erin Crome
Tiana Daniel
Emily Daniels
Amanda Daniels
Nikhil Datta
Jill Davis
Liz Davy
Alyscia De Francisco
Christine Decker
Deidra Decoito
Tracey Denniston
Ann Deshe
Susan Diamond
Pam Dickson
Julie Dilullo
Kristin Dimarco
Adriel Doan
John Donahue
Samantha Douglas
Danielle Downie
Shaina Dugan
Paige Dunlavy
Bill Dyer
Douglas Eagle
Nkechi Edeh
Phyllis Edelstein
Melinda Edwards
Litfa Edwards
Kirsten Eickert
Jodi Eldred
Deborah Eldred
Dan Elliot
Kasey Elliott
Jessica Ellis
Caroline Emoff
Diane English
Stacy Ervin
Ashley Espinosa
Hyunsoon (Julie) Eum
Cindy Evans
Adele Evans
Christian Evans
Ashley Ewing
Hong Fan
Laura Fanning
Fred Feibelman
Fan Feng
Kalyn Ferguson
Samantha Ferreira
Peg Ferrell
Emily Ferreras
Jeannine Ferry
Lacresha Fine
Tony Fine
Janet Fireman
Leslie Fisher
Katey Fishley
Josh Fishman
Julie Fishman
Marilyn Fishman
Matt Flame
Kelly Flood
Lauren Flynn
Ashley Folkerth
Michael Forrest
Lauren Foust
Allison Fox
Leslie Fox
Darren Frank
Lynne Freeman
Cheri Friedman
Natalia Frstekova
Marie Fudacz
Benjamin Funk
Kathleen Fusco
Jodi Gaier
Erin Gaild
Melanie Gall
Stacy Garguilo
Makenzie Gaton
Jeanie Gayagoy
Niug Ge
Teresa Ghee
Larry Gilbert
Rhoda Gilbert
Linda Gillis
Anna Giuliani
Julie Given
Sandy Glassman
Gg Glenn
Susan Goeschl
Margie Goldach
Kim Golden
Robin Goldfein
Alex Goldshteyn
Bai Gong
Megan Good
Mark Gossett
Tammi Gourley
Chastity Graham
Erika Graves
Alex Gray
Latoya Green
Dani Greenberg
Amy Greenberg
Rebecca Greenlee
Lakeisha Greer
Julianne Gresh
Rowen Grey
Lisa Griebel
Tonya Grieco
Aubrey Griffith
Shila Griffith
Michele Guervitz
Angela Guido
Bonnie Guller-Montera
Megan Hall
Devon Hampp
Jennifer Handel
Carol Handler
Jessica Harbert
Erin Hardin
Grant Harlan
Melanie Harper
Heather Hartley
Shalena Hawkins
Summer Hayes
Traci Haynes
Sarah Heaven
Jennifer Heffner
Jamie Heineman
Jennifer Heitmeyer
Katie Helton
Connie Hendren
Marianne Hennerfeind
Bridget Henze
Fallon Hester
Kirbie Hill
Shannon Hill
Ben Himmelreich
Tanya Hines
Jacqueline Ho
Annette Hoelzer
Amy Hoffman
Emily Holbrook
Lisa Holt
Lauren Hosler
Tyler Houser
Vicki Houston
Stacey Howell
Alesha Howze
Matthew Hronec
Ci Ci Huang
Cassandra Hummel
Holly Hunt
Rebecca Hunt
Lynn Hunter
Lettie Huyghe
Sarah Hwang
Sarah Hyde
Hilary Hysell
Oroma Igwe
Erin Ineman
Brittiney Ingram
Dana Isaacs
Selina Jackson
Anne-Marie Jacob
Fran Jacobs
Kyle Jacobs
Krisitin Jaffe
Nancy James
Roberto Jesi
Russell Jipson
Kanisha Johnson
Anita Johnson
Melissa Johnson
Shelli Johnson
Ryan Johnston
Jennifer Jones
Amber Jones
Lisa Jones
Nancy Jones
Jessica Jordan
Breana Jordan
Courtney Kahrmann
Cori Kandel-Galloway
Jessica Kane
Ross Karmia
Anisa Kastle
Joesph Kausits
Rachel Kawchak
Lauren Kendall
Maryam Khan
Andrew Kieta
Kelsey Kincade
Julie Kink
Anne Kirchner
Randy Kleinman
Bettye Jane Klinger
Ron Kohr
Michael Kopper
Dalia Koppes
Kali Kotterman
Alexis Kougendakis
Matthew Koval
Sari Kraisner
Mira Krivoshey
Haley Kruse
Kristin Krzic
Chad Kuhlwein
Amanda Kuhn
Maansi Kulkarni
Emma Kuniman
Ashley Kusher
Scott Kustis
Irene Kyai
Janae Lagrange
Ronny Lambotte
Shannon Lang
Shuhua Lao
Becca Laskey
Chelsea Lauck
Bebe Lavin
Zhi-Qi Le
Jeremy Leach
Kelly Leciejewski
Si Lee
Tina Lee
Roni Leeman
Emily Leffel
Catherine Leisring
Lacey Leitnaker
Keri Lemley
Megan Lents
Mary Jo Leventhal
Stacy Levin
Ed Levine
Josh Levine
Marla Levine
Karen Levy
Latonya Lewis
Mary Lewis
Samantha Lewis
Shelly Lewis
Roman Lexi
Jessica Liang
David Lille
Emily Lin
Courtney Lind
Sari Linkus
Oystein Lokken
Xinzi Long
Mary Loochtan
Maria Lopes
Victoria Lowman
Kayleigh Luchshaw
Judith Lux
Dorothy Lybarger
Mary Macynski
Pila Manivong
Jackie Marowitz
Michelle Marowitz
Jeff Marshall
Sue Martin
Tyler Mastrilli
Kim Masturzo
Ginni May
Bethany Maynard
Ashley Mccarthy
Aaron Mcclendon
Robin Mccormick
Derek Mccoy
Sarah Mcgarity
Susan Mckee
Ellen Mckee
Kelly Mcneil
Kayte Mcpherson
Katherine Meara
Courtney Mechkour
Michal Mendelson
Cara Messaros
Donna Metsker
Debbie Meyer
Emily Meyer
Demi Michell
Jason Milburn
Megan Milburn
Lauren Miles
Michael Miles
Corinne Miller
Emily Miller
Joshua Miller
Jr Miller
Catherine Miller
Maureen Million
Chris Milliron
Joey Millspaugh
Sherri Mirones
Rachel Mitcham
Gloria Mitchell
Sarah Mitchell
Tad Mitchell
Gretchen Moerch
Justin Molinex
Nora Molter
Brittany Momburg
Kara Moody
Debbie Moore
Maya Morant
Jessica Morris
Mike Mosteller
Brian Munch
Emily Murnane
Emily Nace
Asumi Nam
Suzie Neal
Lisa Newman
Angela Nichols
Sarah Davis Nolan
Erin Noone
Brittany Nottke
Ellie Nowels
Christina O’keefe
Elizabeth Olds
Kim Oliver
Adrienne Olzinger
Laura Orahoske
Jess Ordonez
Korey Osborn
Amanda Oster
Christine Ouellette
Emily Owen
Olayinka Oyawusi
Parin Pandya
Elisa Panico
Zoë Papadis
Kayla Pappas
David Pariser
Robin Parks
Tamyka Parnell
Brooke Parsley
Shelby Parsons
Rakesh Patel
Manthan Patel
Erica Payne
Katherine Payne
Evan Payton
Amy Peabody
Adam Peal
Jan Pekula
Rachel Pennington
Eliza Pereira
Erin Petticrew
Molly Phelps
Cindy Phillips
Alli Phillips
Kristen Pietro
Traci Pifer
Kelsey Pizza
Laura Plutt
Jennifer Pollock
Anastasia Popp
Willie Posey
Sue Potts
Danny Pritchard
Ada Pullie
Tracy Purcell
Xinting Qung
Jane Rabe
Lindy Ramsey
Amy Ramsey
Sherri Rarey
Zac Ratliff
Shannon Rece
Stacey Reigle
Kate Reiner
Sydni Reynolds
Monique Rich-Barge
Ronni Richards
Laurel Richardson
Stephanie Richardson
Kay Rietz
Clay Risinger
Rachel Robinette
Haley Robinson
Leah Robinson
Melanie Rocha
Angelica Rodriguez
Kelly Ruth Roempler
Jamie Rogovin
Linda Rogovin
Ryan Romes
Murielle Rosenberg
Farahnaz Roshanipour
Stacie Rott
Gail Rubin
Bill Rudner
Bonnie Rudner
Lauren Sadler
Lesley Saeed
Volunteer Salyer
Chris Samons
Arica Sandler
Mindy Santilli
Janelle Sapp
L Sargent
Andrea Scales
Chelsea Schachner
Annamarie Schaffield
Marcy Schaffir
Madeline Schiebel
Patricia Schiff
Stephanie Schiff
Jill Schmall
Jennifer Schmitt
Rhonda Schottenstein
Sean Scott
Donita Scott
Eyphamia Scott
Darrell Seabrook
Arlene/Milton Setnar
Caitlin Sewell
Tekiyah Shabazz
Yi Shan
Christy Shanyfelt
Aubrey Shapiro
Myra Sharfin
Shiyan Shen
Paul Shepard
Yvonne Shepherd
Olivia Sherck
Jennifer Sherman
Geno Shifrin
Mitch Shifrin
Barbara Shifrin
Steven Shiplett
Danielle Short
Sharon Simmons
Jessica Sims
Ashley Slyman
Chrissy Smith
Katerra Smith
Stephanie Smith
Anne Smith
Anntonia Smith
Candice Smith
Napriya Smith
Rachel Smith
Ruth Sniderman
Diane Sokolov
Youngsun Song
Johnathan Sosebee
Kelsie Spangler
Devin Spencer
Delores Spriggs
Elizabeth Stacy
Hannah Starr
Mary Starr
Vince Stasiulewicz
Julia Steen
Samantha Steffensmeier
Dee Dee Stein
Susan Stein
Jessica Stevanus
Shainna Sticklen
Jason Still
Camille Stuckey
Kara Suffel
Kayla Swain
Talena Swank
Jillian Swartzentruber
Emily Tassin
Deborah Taylor
Erin Taylor
Alaina Taylor
Christopher Tayloy
Mary Teegarden
Milkah Thiongo
Jaquetta Thomas
Yvonne Thomas
Kaye Thompson
Miranda Thompson
Tommy Thompson
Nicole Thurmond
Kristin Tilley
Jenna Timmons
Christian Tobar
Sherri Tobin
Kelsey Tobin
Frank Tomera
Olivia Toukan
Debra Toyloy
Katy Trader
Peggy Trump
Sheena Turner
Cristy Turner
Sara Turney
Brandi Union
Adria Urell
Katrina Valera
Craig Vangas
Ibed Vargas
Bailey Vazquez
Sindhu Velu
Stacy Vickroy
Leah Villafores
Maria Del Carmen Melo
Villalobos
Carly Vinborg
Dan Vogel
Rose (Maddie) Vogel
Geoff Vonbargen
Stacie Wade
Angie Waderker
Mike Walker
Scott Walker
Zach Walker
Ashley Wallace
Andrea Walsh
Daniel Wander
Karen Wander
Choo Wang
Effy Wang
Ni Wang
Yujia Wang
William (Evan) Ward
Ken Warren
Shontell Warren
Dashawn Washington
Dean Washington Iii
Kelsey Weaver
Allison Webb-Fitch
Sally Weimer
Esther Weisman
Tammy Weisman
Arlene Weiss
Alexis Wells
Meryl Weprin
Yiscah Weprin
Melanie Wernert
Chlondra Whipple
Allie Whitaker
Chris Whitcraft
Melissa White
Lisa White
Matthew White
Eric Wickham
Chris Wickiser
Hannah Wilde
Jayanna Wilder
Brianne Wildermuth
Charisse Wilkins
Heather Williams
Jean Williams
Jenny Williams
Jon Williams
Teresa Willson
Damon Wise
Ashley Wise
Jonathan Wlash
Jennifer Wollenberg
Cindy Wolt
Lauren Wood
Keshia Woodall
Frank Woods
Jennifer Worthington
Kaitlyn Wright
Stephanie Wright
Mabel Wu
Sara Wu
Eric Wunderlich
Shirley Wygle
Brent Wyrick
Hong Xu
Vincent Xu
Judy Yalowich
Dalong Yang
Susan Yost
Emily Young
Caryl Lynn Young
Wenke Zhan
Yuqing Zhang
Xunzhu Zhou
Yudan Zhou
Carolyn Zinkon
Andy Zitney
Katrina Zvosec
Rick Zwelling
LifeTown Columbus | Friendship Circle 6220 E. Dublin-Granville Road, New Albany, OH 43054 | (614) 939-0765 | www.lifetowncolumbus.org | www.friendscolumbus.com
2013 In Review
Thanks to Our Donors for Changing Lives!
A Message to our Friends
We are pleased—no, thrilled—to share our
gratitude with you.
Thanks to your support, LifeTown and
Friendship Circle have had a banner
year, serving increasingly more students
than ever before with programs that are
impacting children and their families in
deeper ways than ever before.
Unprecedented support from individuals and businesses
in our community has enabled critical expansions to our
curriculum and facility. Inside this report we have detailed
some of the exciting upgrades and projects underway that
will make 2014 a truly groundbreaking year for the children
with disabilities we serve.
All of this has been possible because of you and your
belief that children with disabilities are an important part
of our community. We don’t give up on our children. Quite
the contrary: We give them the best resources possible to
enable their success.
For children with serious disabilities in
central Ohio, those resources are LifeTown
and Friendship Circle. There is nothing
similar—nothing that allows this level of
hands-on learning and mentorship—in
Franklin County, or even within the state
of Ohio.
Thank you for being a part of our village
and for believing in us. You are making a
huge difference in the lives of children and families in our
community. Here’s to an amazing 2014!
Warmest regards,
Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann, Executive Director
Esther Kaltmann, LifeTown-Friendship Circle Director
“Friendship Circle Changed My Son’s Life”
A mother describes the tremendous experience Friendship Circle has been for her son,
while teaching the whole family what friendship really means
When her son Khoury, now 10, started in the Friendship
Circle program two-and-a-half years ago, his mother Kelly
did not know what to expect.
or out for pizza, there
was always plenty
of fun to be had.
“Before, it was like other kids were just putting up with him,”
says Kelly, admitting that it can be challenging at times for
Khoury to make friends due to his Asperger’s and ADHD.
“It’s been a
phenomenal
experience for the
whole family,” says
Kelly, describing how
the mentors have also
embraced her daughter, Katelyn. “It’s like the mentors have
become a part of our family.”
Through Friendship Circle’s unique mentorship program that
pairs children with disabilities with local high school and
college volunteers,
Khoury has formed
deep friendships
with several
mentors. Whether
the mentors have
visited Khoury
at home or
accompanied the
family on trips to
the zoo, bowling,
Kelly and her husband Kevin also appreciate that Friendship
Circle is available to their family free of charge. While Kelly
and Kevin earn a modest living as schoolteachers, their
income sometimes disqualifies them from programs that
would benefit Khoury. “We’re often told we earn too much
to participate in certain programs,” says Kelly. “Thank
goodness Friendship Circle allows Khoury to have such
a positive experience!”