2nd Annual Fundraising Walk for Special Needs Children Honors Disabled Victims of Israel’s Oct. 7 Terror Attack

On Sunday, March 3rd, Friendship House invites the broader Boca Raton community to “Walk4Friendship”, a fundraising event for programs that support special needs individuals of all ages in South Florida. Free and open to the public, the event expects to welcome over 1,000 participants and guests.

“We are excited to host the 2nd annual Walk here in Boca Raton,” said Rabbi Sholom Ber Kessler, director of Friendship House and organizer of the event. “The Walk4Friendship is about coming together in celebration of those with special needs and sharing the message that the light and joy of community can dispel the darkness within our world.”

Since its founding in 2020, Friendship House of Boca Raton has supported over 75 families with special needs children. The organization engages with an active and dedicated group of volunteers from local high schools and from within the community.

This year’s Walk4Friendship is especially significant, as it is dedicated to the memories of Noya Dan – 14 – and Ruth Perez – 17 – two young individuals with special needs who were tragically murdered in the October 7th terror attacks in Israel.

“We got in touch with their families about dedicating the ‘Walk4Friendship’ in Noya and Ruth’s memories. Their surviving family members were resoundingly on board and moved by the love and support,” Kessler said. “To be able to honor their memories 6,000 miles away in Boca Raton is so humbling.”

The day will commence with registration and an opening ceremony at 10:00 am, followed by the one-mile walk. Free event T-shirts will be provided for all participants and a carnival will be held from 12 to 2 pm. Exciting entertainment for all ages will be featured such as the “X-treme basketball dunk show,” and an appearance by Florida Panther’s own “Stanley the Mascot.”

The Walk4Friendship event draws inspiration from the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory, who taught that each individual has different talents and abilities, and it is every person’s responsibility to use their G‑d-given capacities to help others and create a more unified society.

The Friendship House, was established in 2020 to build an inclusive community through a variety of volunteer, social, and educational programs. Friendship House pairs volunteers with children, teens, and young adults with disabilities, hosting inclusive social programming throughout the year, in the greater Boca Raton area.

Friendship House brings support, friendship, and connection to all individuals with special needs and those facing isolation. Our vision is a community where people with special needs are included in every aspect and are provided with the support and opportunities to be successful and live happy productive lives.

The Boca Raton community has a rapidly growing population of children with special needs. According to the CDC research reports for 2015-17, 17% of children aged 3-17 years had a developmental disability, and even more importantly, the percentage is increasing each year. This segment of our society is falling through the cracks and in tremendous need of resources and support. Without programs like Friendship House, children and youth with special needs often find themselves isolated from everyday activities and socialization opportunities, lack friends, and feel lonesome and forgotten.

Friendship House is addressing this gap in services for individuals with special needs in the Boca Raton area. Friendship House simultaneously impacts multiple populations by pairing typical high school and community volunteers with children with special needs, creating a socially integrated environment where all can grow, develop, and thrive.