Mendel Groner
Executive Director, Friendship Circle International
Leading one of the largest Jewish nonprofit networks connecting teens and individuals with special needs, with 80+ chapters and programs on six continents.
About Mendel
Mendel Groner serves as Executive Director of Friendship Circle International, a global nonprofit founded in 1994 that creates friendships between teen volunteers and individuals with special needs. Under his leadership, the organization has expanded its reach to 80+ chapters worldwide, developed new digital programming through Friendship Circle Online, and launched Team Friendship, an adventure-based fundraising program that brings the mission to life on mountaintops and marathon courses.
Mendel brings a background in nonprofit leadership, Jewish community building, and social entrepreneurship to everything he does. His work sits at the intersection of youth development and disability inclusion, two causes he believes are deeply intertwined. When teens show up for someone with a disability, both people grow. That simple belief drives every program Friendship Circle builds.
He is based on the East Coast and works closely with chapter directors, donors, families, and teen volunteers across the Friendship Circle network every week.
Areas of Expertise
- Special Needs Inclusion
Building programs where individuals with disabilities are participants, not recipients. - Teen Volunteerism
Designing experiences that give teens genuine purpose and lasting friendships. - Nonprofit Fundraising
Donor strategy, annual campaigns, and peer-to-peer event fundraising at scale. - Adventure Philanthropy
Combining endurance events (marathons, Kilimanjaro, glacier hikes) with mission-driven fundraising. - Jewish Community Organizations
Building programs rooted in Jewish values of chesed (kindness) and inclusion. - Chapter Network Development
Supporting and growing a distributed network of 80+ locally-run chapters.
Programs Mendel Leads
Team Friendship
Adventure-based fundraising program. Participants train for and complete endurance events including the NYC Marathon, Miami Half Marathon, Kilimanjaro climb, Alaska hike, and Glacier hike, raising funds for Friendship Circle programs.
Donor Strategy
Mendel oversees FCI fundraising, including annual campaigns, major gifts, event-based giving, and the organization’s donor retention and reactivation strategy.
Chapter Development
Supporting 80+ chapter directors around the world with programming, fundraising tools, operational systems, and community-building resources.
Friendship Circle Online (FCO)
Virtual programming that connects individuals with special needs and teen volunteers across geographies, running live weekly sessions throughout the year.
Connect
To reach Mendel about partnership opportunities, speaking engagements, chapter development, or Team Friendship events, contact Friendship Circle International directly.