Friendship Circle of Charlotte

Sensory Board Building
2024-03-12 19:00 - 20:30, 2024-03-28 19:00 - 20:30 (America/New_York) | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Inviting all parents to join us for a night of creative fun as we refresh the “Please Touch Wall” at Friendship Circle. All levels of creativity, building, and crafting experience welcome!

Family Picnic
2024-05-19 16:00 - 18:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Our annual Friendship Circle Family Picnic is here! Join us to celebrate another amazing year of friendship. We will be recognizing all our 2024 graduates and we hope to see all our friends and their families for an evening of games, yummy food, and lots of laughs.

Chanukah Shabbat Dinner
2024-12-27 16:30 - 18:30 | Chabad of Charlotte, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
We’re excited to bring the extended Friendship Circle Family together – Special Friends, Teen Friends, and their Families – for a Traditional Shabbat Dinner with the added light of Chanukah! We’ll light the Menorah and then the Shabbat Candles, make the Kiddush, and enjoy delicious Shabbat and Chanukah foods.
Please Note: Participation in Friendship Circle programs is for registered friends only.

President's Weekend - No FC
2025-02-16 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States

Parent Program
2025-03-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Planning for Tomorrow. Join us for an educational presentation by Ryan Platt of A Special Needs Plan to help you learn tips and tricks for securing your child’s financial future. Open to parents of all ages and stages.

Finding Your Peace
2025-03-30 15:30 - 17:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Join us for a program, specially designed for caregiving parents, with practical tips on how to reduce stress and increase resilience. Presented by Rachel Green, MSW, LCSW of Jewish Family Services of Greater Charlotte, this event will be held during our regular Sunday program so parents can attend while their child(ren) are busy having fun!
Come ready to relax and learn, and bring your appetite, snacks will be served!
Rachel Green is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has nineteen years of experience in community mental health and non-profit clinical management. Rachel currently serves as the Director of Programs and Services of Jewish Family Services of Greater Charlotte. In this role, Rachel is responsible for guiding, managing and directing all aspects and functions of JFS’ programs and services, including program planning, development and delivery. She supervises all clinical and programmatic staff. Rachel holds certifications in MAP, Triple P Parenting and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, all evidence-based therapy practices.

End of Year Parent Event
2025-06-08 15:30 - 17:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Inviting all Friendship Circle Parents to an End of Year Trivia day! Let’s get together to celebrate another year of fun and friendship.
While your kids are outside enjoying the car wash, stick around and join us inside for an afternoon of snacks, trivia and fun while we discuss some ideas for the coming year.

Mid-Summer Parent Event: Sip and Share
2025-07-17 19:00 - 20:00 | ZOOM
Join Ms. Sue on ZOOM for a casual mid-summer hang out! Bring your favorite drink and meet us online for a friendly chat and chill with other Friendship Circle Parents. For safety reasons the Zoom link will be posted in the Parent GroupMe. If you need assistance, please email Ms. Sue for the link.

Keep the Connection
2025-08-05 19:00 - 20:30 | Chabad of Charlotte, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Keep the Connection is a workshop for parents of teens, designed to deepen your understanding of adolescent brain development and provide practical, experiential tools to strengthen communication and connection through the teenage years.
This engaging night will offer meaningful insights, real-life strategies, and a chance to connect with yourself and fellow parents on a shared journey.
Led by Caroline Thompson, an intern at Sun Counseling and Wellness, under the supervision of Juliet Kuehnle, MS, NCC, LCMHC-S. Caroline is in the final year of her Masters in Counseling Program at Gordon-Conwell. A native Charlottean, she returned to begin her graduate program after graduating from Wofford College with her B.S. in Psychology. Caroline works with clients of all ages, with a special interest in working with kids and teens.

Parent Kick-Off Mixer
2025-09-14 15:30 - 17:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Join us for the first of our monthly(!) Parent Programs! While your kids are making mural puzzles, join Ms. Sue for an afternoon of games, snacks, and meeting other parents.
This event is intended for parents of both Teen Friends and Special Friends. Come meet other moms and dads while having some kid-free fun.

An Inclusive Sukkot Family Dinner
2025-10-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Join us and our CKids Hebrew School families for a Sukkot Holiday dinner in the Sukkah at Friendship Circle (in the back parking lot). Enjoy delicious food, friendly conversation, an opportunity to shake the Lulav & Etrog — all in a warm and welcoming environment where you can come as you are.
Participation in Friendship Circle programs is for registered friends and their families.

Parent Program: Self Care
2025-11-09 15:30 - 17:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
While your kids are making button crafts, join Ms. Sue (yes, she’ll be back) for the first of our November Parent programs – Self Care: Taking Care of You. Get ready to learn and share tips and tricks and have some stress-free fun.
This event was made possible thanks to a generous grant from the Foundation for the Charlotte Jewish Community (FCJC) and is intended for parents of both Teen Friends and Special Friends. Come meet other moms and dads while having some kid-free fun.

Fall Parent Party
2025-11-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Calling ALL Friendship Circle parents! Join us for a Fall Parent Party! We’ll be letting loose our creativity (and possibly our frustrations?) by throwing paint at a giant Friendship Circle logo canvas. Have a drink, have a snack, and hurl some paint while meeting other moms and dads. Leave the kids and nice clothes at home and leave the rest to us. Beer, wine, and light refreshments will be served.

Pajama Walk!
2025-12-07 12:00 - 16:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
It’s here! Join us at 12pm at Friendship Circle for our much-anticipated Pajama Walk! If you haven’t signed up yet, go to www.PajamaWalk.com to make your page today.

Family Chanukah Party
2025-12-17 17:30 - 19:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Chanukah is a time to get together with friends and family, so let’s get our Friendship Circle family together for a Family Chanukah Party! Bring the whole fam out for an evening a donut decorating contest, a pizza dinner, and plenty of holiday fun!

Parents Night Out: Helping Our Young Adults Cope, Connect, and Thrive
2026-01-13 19:00 - 20:30 | ZABS Place, 100 N Trade St, Matthews, NC, 28105, United States
New Year, New Growth. As we kick off the year, we invite our Friendship Circle Parents to join our ZABS families along with other parents to an evening dedicated to the emotional well-being and future independence of our young adults.
Navigating the transition to adulthood is complex. Finding mental health professionals who deeply understand the unique nuances of the I/DD community is even harder. That is why we are thrilled to welcome Michele Mattox, LCSW of No Limits Counseling & Coaching to ZABS Place.
Michele brings over 20 years of experience in direct care roles within the disability community. She moves beyond traditional therapy to focus on empowerment, safety, and tangible skill-building.
In this session, we will explore:
Relationship Coaching: How to help our young adults build healthy, safe, and meaningful social connections.
Life Transitions: Strategies for navigating the shift toward greater independence.
Emotional Wellness: Tools to support growth, confidence, and mental health specifically for neurodiverse individuals.

Parent Program - Exploring NavvyNest
2026-02-22 15:30 - 17:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Join Ms. Sue and Friendship Circle Mom, Cindy Belk, for an educational afternoon exploring the new app for parents and caregivers of children with special needs, NavvyNest.
The app brings thousands of developmental disability resources into one intuitive, user-friendly system, eliminating confusion, saving time, and reducing the anxiety families face when searching for support.
NavvyNest was founded by Cindy and Timothy Belk, parents of one of our very own Friendship Circle Friends. Like many families, they experienced firsthand how overwhelming and fragmented the search for services and resources can be.
Their mission is simple: to make finding support easier, faster, and more accessible for every family navigating the special needs journey.

Friends Together: The Parent Experience
2026-02-28 20:00 - 21:30 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Step Into Their World: Friends Together – The Parent Experience
They say the Inclusive Fun Zone is where the magic happens… but why should the kids have all the fun?
For years, you’ve seen the photos, heard the stories, and watched the incredible bonds form from the sidelines. On Saturday night, February 28th, we’re opening the doors for an exclusive, adults-only evening designed to let you experience the heartbeat of our Charlotte community firsthand.
The Experience
This isn’t a seminar or a sit-down meeting. It’s a fast-paced, high-energy “play date” for the grown-ups. Just like our Friends Together program, you will be paired 1-1 with a fellow parent to navigate the Inclusive Fun Zone.
Whether you are a parent of a Special Friend or a Teen Friend, you’ll step into your child’s shoes to discover the “Pure Friendship” that defines our mission. You’ll tackle interactive challenges, share some laughs, and feel that unmistakable spark of connection that keeps our teens coming back week after week.
Why You Can’t Miss This
We know your Saturday nights are valuable. If you’re a parent of a Teen Friend, think of this as your “social ROI.” You’ve seen your teen grow in empathy and responsibility—now come see the environment that makes it happen. It’s a chance to network, relax, and finally understand the “Why” behind the “Wow.”

Parent Event: Self-Care Flow
2026-03-29 15:30 - 17:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Join Ms. Sue and guest instructor Fran for an afternoon of parent-only, relaxing, self-care and yoga. While the kids are next door having fun with Ms. Sarah, enjoy a relaxing, all-levels yoga flow with other Friendship Circle parents. Hang out, chat, flow, and have fun!
Mats will be provided, or bring your own. Drinks and light bites will be served.

Parent Program: Siblings' Play Day!
2026-04-26 15:30 - 17:00 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
It’s Sibling Day!
We are excited to invite all families to join our Siblings Program in the Fun Zone while your children are participating in the Friendship Circle program. Parents are asked to stay with all siblings during this time, creating a wonderful opportunity to relax, play, and connect together in a welcoming and engaging environment. It’s also a great chance to meet and socialize with other Friendship Circle parents to share experiences, and build meaningful connections within the community. We look forward to creating a positive, inclusive experience for the whole family!

Celebrate Friendship 2026
2026-05-18 17:30 - 19:30 | Selkin Family Friendship Circle Center, 6619 Sardis Road, Charlotte, NC, 28270, United States
Join the Friendship Circle of Charlotte for our premier end-of-year inclusive community event at the Chabad Center Social Hall on Sardis Road. As a leading organization for disability inclusion in Charlotte, NC, we are proud to host this special evening dedicated to fostering genuine friendships between typically-developing teens and children, teens, and young adults with special needs.
This year, the Friendship Circle of Charlotte has been more than just a series of Sunday afternoons; it has been a journey. From the quiet moments of connection in our Beco-Sensory Room to the high-energy laughter over Giant Jenga and baking projects, we have built a “Friendship Path” that leads straight to a more inclusive Charlotte.
On May 18th, we aren’t just hosting a dinner. We are gathering to honor the deep, life-changing bonds formed this year and to salute our Teen Graduates—the young leaders who have spent their high school years proving that friendship is the ultimate bridge-builder. We invite you to sit at our table, share a meal, and help us celebrate the beautiful circle we’ve built together.
