Special-Needs Resources HaMercaz, a project of Jewish Family
Service and The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, offers
a central resource for Jewish families raising a special-needs
child, connecting parents to support groups, programs and
services. At least 300,000 American schoolchildren ages 4 to 17
have the developmental disorder, according to the Centers for
Disease Control. And the numbers are increasing every year.
Loneliness is one of the worst problems facing children with
developmental disabilities. Others avoid them, uncomfortable
with the outbursts, unsure how to talk to them and unwilling to
make the effort.Chabad's Friendship Circle is trying to break
through that isolation by reaching out to children with
developmental problems, as well as their families, and offering
them a welcoming hand into the community.