"The only way to be a friend is to be one"

Our Programs Meetings & Trips Weekly meetings are held on the campus of the New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, NY. With guidance from professionally-trained social workers and mental health professionals, the participants decide what the focus of each meeting will be. Activities which have been very popular are movie and pizza night, board games, Super Bowl party, gym night, arts and crafts, and international food night. In addition to weekly meetings, members come together several times during the year for day trips. In the past, these outings have included such fun activities as going to a Broadway show, bowling, South Street Seaport, a Mets game, and a barbecue at a county park. Participants also have the opportunity to go on a three-day weekend trip each year.  Destinations have been Mystic, Connecticut, Washington,DC, Toronto,Canada and even Las Vegas! These recreational activities, offered in a supportive and therapeutically challenging environment, are designed to meet the unique social needs of developmentally delayed teens and young adults. Members learn social skills in an easy-going and stress-free atmosphere. The meetings and trips help nurture self-awareness and can spark lasting friendships.   Taken together, these experiences help members gain greater confidence in social settings, higher self-esteem and lessened anxiety and fearfulness. For many, the Friendship Connection is the social highlight of their lives, making a dramatic improvement in their socialization skills.