At CJP, we know that friendship and connection are essential to leading a fulfilling life. This Jewish Disability Awareness, Acceptance and Inclusion Month (JDAIM), we are honored to celebrate the organizations that foster meaningful relationships for people of all abilities. Every year, CJP provides grants and funding to our partners in this space, helping to ensure that they can continue to transform lives and foster inclusion and belonging for everyone.
Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston (JBBBS) is dedicated to creating life-changing friendships. Through its Friend 2 Friend program, JBBBS matches adults with disabilities with volunteers who provide companionship, support, and a sense of belonging. (Learn more about volunteering and getting involved with Friend 2 Friend.)
For Liz and Ellen, and for Robert and Andrew, these friendships have become a source of joy and connection. Their stories show how a simple act of kindness—becoming a friend—can have a profound impact on both people in the match.
Watch the video above and keep reading to learn how Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston is building incredible bonds of friendship.
Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston
For over 30 years, Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston (JBBBS) has been fostering meaningful friendships between adults with disabilities and volunteers through its Friend 2 Friend program. With approximately 200 active matches and 400 volunteers, the program offers two distinct models of friendship.
The Community Program matches adults with disabilities to volunteer friends based on common interests. These pairs meet independently one to two times per month, supported by clinical match specialists who ensure safe, stable friendships. The program provides quarterly community events, like its recent Hanukkah celebration, and offers gift cards to help cover activity costs.
“What makes our program so special is that these are genuine volunteer friendships,” explains Stacey Schneiderman, vice president of adult programming at JBBBS. “To have a program where people genuinely want to be connected makes a huge difference in the lives of both volunteers and participants.”
The second model, MAGIC (Monthly Activity Group in Community), brings together volunteers and members for structured monthly activities. From painting pottery in Coolidge Corner to attending Boston University basketball games, these events are carefully planned to be accessible by public transportation throughout Greater Boston, Brookline, and Newton.
Recent satisfaction surveys demonstrate the program’s impact on participants, showing improved mental health and reduced isolation. “The volunteers and JBBBS members consider each other friends for the duration,” Schneiderman notes, emphasizing how these relationships often extend beyond the formal program requirements.
JBBBS serves a wide catchment area stretching from Reading and Bedford in the north to Foxborough and Braintree in the south. While they recently adjusted their geographic boundaries to better manage waitlists and ensure quality service, their vision remains ambitious.
“My goal for Friend 2 Friend is to reach as many people as we can,” says Schneiderman. “I would love for this to become more of a national name, even coinciding with Big Brothers Big Sisters, because there aren’t a lot of programs like this.”
Beyond providing friendship, the program works to normalize inclusion in public spaces. “When you’re showing the world two friends going to a basketball game together, regardless of ability status, you’re demonstrating what genuine friendship looks like,” Schneiderman explains. “It’s all about inclusivity.”