The French author Victor Hugo wrote, “Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come.” For children with special needs, that idea began in 1994—with the first Friendship Circle in Detroit.

The Friendship Circle began with just eight volunteers visiting three children each week. But it wasn’t long before other teens, children with special needs and their families learned about the program.

They too wanted to join the Friendship Circle, which welcomed them with open arms.

By 2003, the Detroit Friendship Circle had evolved from “a hands-on activity” into a thriving organization with 350 teen volunteers spending time with 150 children with special needs.

Detroit’s success inspired Friendship Circle branches in cities across the United States, which in turn, led to chapters in Canada, and Australia.

Like a stone tossed into a pond (or an idea whose time has come), the ripple effect continues growing all the time.