When our matching campaign closed last week, we hadn’t reached our goal. And honestly? It was heavy.
We had poured our hearts into this. Weeks of planning. Days of reaching out. Sleepless nights. And then… 93%. So close, yet not quite where we hoped to be. Fundraising is often lonely — and in that moment, it felt lonelier than ever.
Then the phone rang.
It was the director of another organization.
She said:
“Wow, you hit 93%! You should be so proud. Don’t give up. You will make it till the end. Every large organization goes through this. KEEP PUSHING.”
Her words gave us courage. Enough courage to do something we don’t usually do: go live on Instagram and tell the truth. To be real with our community. To say out loud: we didn’t hit what we hoped for.
A few hours later, a text message came in. From one of our teens:
“Chani! I just watched the video, and really, I was so sad. I just donated all my maaser money from the summer, and I really hope you reach the goal soon! I just want to say that as a volunteer and a sibling with special needs, I can say Friendship Circle is literally the best and nicest program ever! Thank you and Berel so much!”
Stop and let that sink in.
A teen.
A volunteer.
A sibling to someone with special needs.
So desperate for Friendship Circle to be supported that she gave all of her maaser from the summer.
That’s what this is about. Not numbers. Not percentages. But lives, hearts, and families who believe in this work so deeply, they give everything they can to keep it alive.
Moments like these remind us that Friendship Circle is the Rebbe’s community — and when we invest here, this is where the brochos lie.
It’s why we keep showing up, even when it feels hard. Because Friendship Circle is not just an organization — it’s a lifeline. It’s a community worth fighting for.
With vulnerability and endless gratitude,
Chani & Berel
PS – the Bonus round of the campaign is still live. Click here to partner with us.
