Imagine there is a single factor that can reduce many significant health problems, including depression, high blood pressure, and an unhealthy body mass index (BMI). Now imagine there is data to show that adults in the United States have experienced a steady decline in this crucial factor (according to The American Time Use Survey). On top of this, adults with disabilities typically face an even greater disparity, with less access to this important factor.
What is it? This significant factor that has such an impact on our health and wellbeing is … friendship. According to the Mayo Clinic, spending quality time in close relationships with others provides a significant health boost. And while we all need more of this quality time, especially after the unique stressors of a global pandemic, adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience an even greater need for close connection with others in order to tap into valuable health benefits that many of us may take for granted.
Founded by four families of individuals with IDD and a community advocate in 2008, Friends Life Community was launched as a place where adults with disabilities — the Friends — would be supported in experiencing close connection with others and reaching their full potential as part of a larger community. In the words of Jack Herndon, FLC’s first Board President:
“Our reward will be seeing Friends Life explode into an extraordinary place where our friends are able to fulfill their God-given potential, build lifelong friendships, explore, enjoy, and contribute to our community, and experience the ordinary miracles of everyday life together.”
For fifteen years, we have been serving and supporting adults with disabilities through an immersive Weekday Program, personal and career coaching services, and more recently through small group opportunities that we call Social Club. We began offering Social Club in 2016 after many Friends said they wanted more ways to spend time together outside of the Weekday Program and build greater friendships.
In 2021, it became obvious that some Friends who move more independently through the world (by living on their own, working in the community, and/or taking part in life coaching services) were also struggling to find friends and small groups that felt inclusive. In response, we launched Friends of 615 to fill this gap and provide these individuals access to building community. People in the Nashville area who are looking for connection are also invited — no disability required!
Jimmy Clark, one of the members of Friends of 615, says:
“[Friends of 615] is good because it gives you a way to make new friends, discuss ways to be a good friend, and there are fun things to do outside of work. We make memories together. Since it is separate from the FLC day program, it gives more people an opportunity to be involved and meet new people. We get to do things we enjoy like holiday parties, bowling, or just having dinner together. We even spend time talking about dealing with emotions and skills to deal with stress in a positive manner. It’s great to have friends to hang out with.”
In fifteen years FLC has evolved and grown in ways the founders could never have imagined, including through Social Club and Friends of 615 activities. Yet we have never strayed from our mission to support adults with disabilities in developing socially, growing personally, and enjoying community by experiencing life together. We believe in the power of friendship, the associated health benefits, and the ordinary miracles that take place here every single day. Our sincere desire is to help friendships flourish amidst the individuals we serve and between those individuals and the broader Nashville community.
For more information about Friends of 615, please contact Patsy Webb — patsy@friendslife.org
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