Making a difference in the lives of youth with special needs!

About Us - The Friendship Foundation

About Us

Changing the world, one friendship at a time.

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Our Mission

The Friendship Foundation empowers youth and adults with disabilities to build lasting friendships, achieve independence, and lead purposeful lives through community-based social, arts, educational, and vocational programs—while also training peer volunteers in leadership, civic responsibility, and meaningful engagement with neurodiverse communities.

Our Vision & Values

To transform the lives of people with disabilities, their families, volunteers, and eventually society.

We create a welcoming atmosphere where everyone can thrive through engaging activities like sports, art, music, and a variety of social programs - all designed to foster connection and camaraderie among peers. Our dedicated staff and enthusiastic volunteers ensure that every program is a celebration of inclusion and friendship.

The Friendship Foundation enhances local educational initiatives by providing a supportive setting for individuals with disabilities to explore and apply their skills in real-world interactions. By participating in our programs people learn, thrive and grow together, building a foundation of support that extends beyond our events and creates community.

Our History

Established in 2007, the Friendship Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide socially integrated programs to empower individuals with disabilities to build friendships, independence, and community. What started out with 8 youth participants and 22 teen volunteers meeting monthly in Manhattan Beach, has grown into 60 monthly programs and over 80 school clubs across the South Bay and beyond. Today, the Foundation offers year round social and recreational programs five days a week, serving over 5,000 participants and volunteers annually. For the past nineteen years, the Friendship Foundation has championed the belief that inclusive environments foster mutual benefits for individuals with disabilities and the volunteers who provide collaboration and support. The success and growing demand from the Foundation’s existing programs have expanded the vision to include an innovative campus centered around transforming lives, the workforce, and society.

Quick Facts

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Year History

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Programs & Activities

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Friendship School Clubs

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Students Involved

Meet Our Team

Yossi Mintz
Executive Director/ President
Daniel Stump
Chief Program Officer
Ann Morse
Managing Director
Michelle Manzano
Director of School Clubs
Sarah Esparza
Director of Programs
Dené Slaton
School Clubs Manager
Erika Bacon
School Clubs and Program Coordinator
Lili Sherrell
Program & Volunteer Logistics Coordinator
Lenay Newell
Program Manager
Nick Hayes-Yamamoto
Programs & Partnerships Coordinator
Sara Katz
Administrative Coordinator
Kira Alcomindras
Director of Operations & Marketing

Recreation Leaders

Joei Duran

Sylvia Martinez

Michelle Sotero

Hannah Sosa

Ben Chabner

Digital Content and Media Coordinator

Dylan Wyse

Our Ambassadors

 

Jacob Dominguez

Erin Pawlowski

Drake Baxter

Sean Lynch

Dylan Wyse

Erin Palowski
Erin has been with Friendship Foundation since our first program and brings a positive and friendly energy to every event she attends. She has become a great ambassador for our organization.
Jacob Dominguez
Jacob loves going to beach camp and bowling! He is one of the original 8 members over 15+ years ago, and is friendly with everyone he meets. He helps us in the office doing tasks such as shredding paper.

Board of Directors

Yossi Mintz

Founder/President

Adam Carroll

Founder of New Age Electronics

Portia Cohen

Strategic Market Liason for the 

Chief Strategy Officer, UCLA Health

 

Yosef Gorowitz

Founder and President of Prodége

Chase Greenberg

Brand Strategist at Skechers

Jerry Katz

Attorney

 

Mike Kaplan

Chairman of Lakeshore Learning

John Pollitt

Owner of Pollitt Law Inc.

Edward Kaminsky

Owner of Kaminsky Realty Group

Advisory Board Members

 

Josh Carroll

Financial Planning Consultant

Tom Nguyen

Wealth Advisor at EP Wealth Advisor

Colyar Pridgen

Financial Planning Consultant at Capital Group

Alyse Zwickel
Parent of Special Needs Child, former Director of Development for the Friendship Foundation
Contact Us!
(310) 214-6677 info@friendshipfoundation.com
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