Circle of Friends Offers Safe Community, Job Opportunities BY SUSAN BROWNING SCHULZ
Alex Bends, a member of Circle of Friends, lives life with several disabilities. She is autistic, bipolar, and has Crohn’s disease, along with other challenges. After feeling broken and like the weird kid, she said everything changed for her when she found the nonprofit Circle of Friends. “Now I don’t have to wonder if someone’s out there, if someone understands me. Now I have a whole community of people who do.” “We don’t want to live in sterile hospitals,” Alex said. “We don’t want to live in buildings where everything we do is monitored and controlled. We want freedom. We want to be normal. We are humans, and we deserve to be treated as such.”
Alex Bends loves her job as barista. 44
AROUND WOODSTOCK | February 2021
Circle of Friends (COF) exists to transform environments of isolation into communities of inclusion by creating opportunities for connection, purpose and belonging in three ways: 1. Social engagement (visit circleoffriendsinc.org for bi-monthly meeting details) 2. Supportive employment 3. Affordable community housing “These days the world needs a community like Mayberry,” said Stephen Taylor, executive director of COF. “A return to simpler times, where everyone is included, cares for each other and has their place.” Stephen, born profoundly deaf, understands the daily challenges of living with a disability. He has dedicated his life to bridging the gaps between the disabilities community, the church, and the world. Building a modern day Mayberry through COF, where people like Alex can flourish, fuels his passion to keep serving. Circle of Friends began in 2010 with the first goal — social gatherings. Led by Diane and Glenn Keen (COF co-founders) they meet at Hickory Flat United Methodist Church. A group of parents and their children, with unique needs, gets together twice a month to socialize and go on
