Friend in Me is a social group connecting kids with disabilities and neurotypical
student volunteers through free, fun online games and conversations via
Zoom on a one-to-one basis every week. Buddies are paired up before each Zoom.
On the Zooms, buddies are put into individual breakout rooms where they
talk and play games for around 30 minutes. Sometimes buddies just hang out
and talk or share an activity together such as an art project. The program is able
to accommodate kids with a wide range of abilities and diagnoses and parents/aides
are welcome to facilitate the interaction if necessary. Scheduling is flexible and is
done every week so kids can change their times whenever they want.
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Julia is a freshman in college. She decided to start Friend in Me after she saw how hard it was for her brother to get social opportunities with neurotypical peers. She loves getting to know all the new kids that join.
Xin is a junior in high school. She has made many friendships with kids through Friend in Me and she loves seeing the friendships blossom between our buddies. She loves getting to know everyone who joins and hopes to be meet more!
As the twin brother of a kid with disabilities, Drew has a lifetime of experience in building connections with those who have verbal and/or social challenges. Drew enjoys hanging out with all of his buddies on Friend in Me.
Absolutely! We try to pair individuals who we think would be good buddies, but please let us know if you want a specific person.
Yes! You can sign up for any available slots.
If your buddy is late, we will keep you in the waiting room until he/she arrives. If he/she is unable to join after 10 minutes, we will try to pair you with somebody else.
If you can't make it to a Zoom you are already signed up for, we request that you let us know a minimum of 24 hours in advance so we can find another buddy to replace you.
We do our best to keep buddies together every week. However, scheduling conflicts may force us to switch them around. If you are signed up for more than one Zoom on a particular week, you are most likely not going to get the same buddy every day.
We welcome anyone from ages 8 to 18.
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to email us at
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