Tend to a Friend welcomes children aged 5-21 with special needs and their siblings. We embrace all special needs and strive to create an inclusive space for everyone. Please note that, due to the nature of our program involving high school volunteers, we regret that we cannot accept children with significant aggressive or self-injurious behaviors.

Tend to a Friend meets approximately four times per year on Friday nights from 6-8:30 pm. Families will receive a list of dates for the school year in the fall, with reminders and registration opening 3 weeks before each event date. 

Take a glimpse into a typical evening with our sample schedule:
6:00-6:45: Free Play
6:45-7:15: Dinner
7:15-7:45: Circle Time
7:45-8:30: Free Play

 Tend to a Friend is held at Rutgers Prep in Somerset, NJ. Our program meets in “The Barn,” a large, open room stocked with engaging  toys and activities for our participants.  

Participation in Tend to a Friend comes with a nominal fee of $5 per participant or $10 per family. 

Rutgers Prep is located at 1345 Easton Avenue, Somerset, NJ 08873
Tend to a Friend meets in a room known as the Barn. Families are encouraged to park in the lower school parking lot, follow the paved path past the playground, and enter the building. The room will be the first door on your left.

Tend To A Friend was started by the Ritter family whose son Travis has autism and a rare genetic disorder - dup15q syndrome. Their other two sons attended Rutgers Prep. The Tend to a Friend program brings their sons’ communities together. Their hope is that this program will provide parents raising a child with special needs some respite in an otherwise chaotic and challenging world.