Welcome Soul Projects
Inspired by the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Friendship Circle was born in 1994 in West Bloomfield. Rabbi Levi and Bassie Shemtov paired eight teen-volunteers with eight children with special needs, matching teens in need of purpose with special kids in need of friendship and acceptance.
Friendship Circle, blessed by the warm embrace and generous support of the community, now operates a widely emulated, state-of-the-art educational & activity center. Friendship Circle has now over 700 teen and adult volunteers and serves thousands of families with children who have special needs.
Upon graduation from Friendship Circle programming, many adults with challenges find themselves socially isolated - without an outlet or employment. The Farber Center is home to the Dresner Foundation Soul Studio and Soul Cafe, which provide a loving and inclusive environment for artistic self-expression, vocational training, and employment opportunities.
Soul Studio
The Dresner Foundation Soul Studio, a project of Friendship Circle, is a studio art program for adults with special needs that responds to each participant’s unique physical and cognitive conditions. Our goal is to encourage the creative growth of participants by helping to shape individualized paths to success in the world. Artwork made by Soul Studio artists is exhibited in our professionally curated exhibition space, visited by hundreds of people every week.
Soul Gallery
In our gallery, we curate exhibitions and produce products by selecting the artwork that best represents the artist and the studio. We curate 4-5 exhibitions a year in the Soul Gallery, and produce and participate in several exhibitions at outside institutions open to the general public. Exhibiting artwork gives each artist the chance to see the public’s reaction to their creative productions and provides them opportunities to speak about their artistic process to visiting audiences. Artists receive a commission from all sales.
Soul Cafe
The Soul Café provides a mouthwatering kosher menu featuring gourmet soups, salads, sandwiches pizzas, pastas and more in a warm and relaxed environment.
Complete with a community table, fireplace and outdoor dining the Soul Cafe provides an excellent opportunity to meet friends, get some work done or grab a quick bite.
The cafe is part of Friendship Circle's Soul Projects, which focuses on providing vocational opportunities to adults with special needs. The cafe teaches adults with special needs the skills of food prep, cooking, hosting and serving.
Catering is provided by a Kosher Division called Epic Kosher Catering/Milk & Honey under which auspices Soul Cafe reside.
Making someone else’s dreams a reality is something that's value is innumerable
Find YourCircle
Friendship Circle is founded upon the idea that within each person is a soul; and that soul is equal and worthy of boundless love. With this inspiration, the lives of the families we serve are enhanced while the volunteers reap the rewards of selfless giving.
Partners& Supporters
