Miami Proud: Friendship Circle's Mission: Acceptance and Camaraderie for Everyone

MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Making friends, hanging out, it sounds so simple. But it is not easy for everyone, especially those on the autism spectrum or with Down syndrome, and other disabilities.

At the Friendship Circle in Kendall, a unique formula introduces teenage and young adult volunteers to friends, and through shared experiences.

Inaki Perez-Iturbe is like any 14 year old kid, he likes basketball, computer games, and hanging out with his friends, like Nico Shapiro Lopez, who is he met as a volunteer at Friendship Circle.

The two are discussing their latest hang out.

"What did we do on Sunday? We did soccer with coach Diego and yoga, right?" Nico reminds Inaki.

Inaki has autism, and like so many here who have special needs, he's overcoming what can be a difficult challenge, basic companionship.

"Nico is my friend and he's a nice volunteer," Inaki beams while giving Nico a hug.

Nico is high school senior and has been a volunteer for four years now. The two bonded immediately two years ago.

Nico shares that Inaki has an amazing memory, knows almost everyone's birthday, is very good with numbers and computer skills, and remakes trains on his computer.

Nechama Harlig runs the organization in Kendall. She first heard about the Friendship Circle, which started in Michigan, and had to look into it further.

She and her husband went up to visit a chapter and thought 'Wow, this is an amazing idea would love to bring it to this community' as there was nothing like it  here.

For parents it's a place to network, find people who relate to their experience, and a real comfort zone.

"For typical families, typical parents they don't even realize they don't even know about that world about the parents who have children who are not being included in events, who are not being accepted who don't have friends," Harlig states. "Here is a place where they don't have to embarrassed or ashamed or worried about how their child is going to behave."

Nico is a prime example of how the experience is just as beneficial for the volunteers as it is for the 300 families who are part of this community.

"When we come to the friendship circle our minds sort of go free, I don't think about all the stuff I have to do, all the stress I have."

Inaki spends several days a week here after school, but it's his time with Nico that he looks forward to the most.

"What I love about Nico is he's nice and he puts a smile on my face every time I walk in," Inaki beams.

For more information about Friendship Circle and their plans to expand their campus to offer help to even more families visit their website at https://www.friendshipcirclemiami.org/