Sponsor a Family. Change a Life.
2025 Scholarship Fundraiser
If you stutter, you have Friends
Help us support 25 families and individuals who wish to attend our annual convention. We know how deeply impactful this weekend can be for kids who stutter and their loved ones. Help us raise $15,000 so we can make the convention a reality for most if not all of the families who have applied for financial assistance.
Your donation brings us a step closer to welcoming more and more people to our supportive and enriching stuttering community.
We’ve received a record number of scholarship applications this year
100% of your donation will go to scholarships
Donate here or below.
No amount is too big or too small
Our fundraising goal is $15,000
Every dollar helps
Here’s a breakdown of where the dollars go
$195
A child’s registration, including meals, for three days
$295
An adult’s registration, including meals, for three days
$490
Registration for a family of two: one adult and one child
$597
Hotel stay at Embassy Suites, our convention venue, for three days
$980
Registration for a family of four
$1,087
Registration & hotel for a family of two
$1,577
Registration & hotel for a family of four
$_____
Your choice. All amounts are deeply appreciated
Why It Matters
Research has shown that kids and teens who have attended a Friends convention have significantly less adverse reactions to speaking, and stuttering has a significantly less negative impact on their lives. Our convention provided young people with tools to empower themselves, support one another, and learn to live well with stuttering in 5 important ways:
1
Young people built strong relationships and a sense of community
2
Collaborative learning brought about personal growth in kids and teens
3
Hearing and sharing personal stories increased acceptance of self and others
4
Living with stuttering can be hard, but the convention helped normalize stuttering
5
Communicative and cognitive changes persisted beyond the convention
I am the only kid in my school who stutters. I like coming to Friends because I get to meet other kids who stutter. These meetings make me happy, excited, and feel like I belong.
Friends empowered my son to find his voice and use his voice.
Friends is a place where I can truly be myself without being judged. A second home. I’ve heard inspiring stories and met courageous people who just started their journey with stuttering or are decades in. I really don’t know where I would be without the Friends conventions. They’ve made me see stuttering not as something to be embarrassed about but something that makes me unique.
It’s been life-changing. I went for my daughter, but it turns out it was also the experience I needed as a parent.
The best part is just to be around “people who get it.” There is something innately helpful in knowing that there are many people thinking through the same questions you are.
This past year I brought my son along with my daughter who stutters. He does not have a stutter so I wasn’t sure how this was going to go. He made friends right away and still talks about them. It opened his eyes as to what his sister copes with. It also made Friends more than just a daughter and mom experience – it helped pull our family together.
About Us
Friends is a national 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing support and education to young people who stutter, their families, and professionals. We believe that every child, teen, and adult who stutters deserves to live in a world where they feel accepted and are empowered to communicate whenever, wherever, and however they choose.
Together we work towards:
- building confidence and advocacy skills
- learning about stuttering while educating friends, family, and colleagues
- cultivating supportive community and sharing experiences
- training the next generation of therapists with the help of stuttering experts, researchers, and adults who stutter
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my donation tax deductible?
Yes, Friends is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and your donation is tax-deductible within the guidelines of US law. To claim a donation as a deduction on your taxes, please keep your donation receipt as your official record. We’ll send it to you upon successful completion of your donation.
Where can I mail a check?
You can mail a check to Friends, 278 Shady Brook Drive, Langhorne, PA 19047 and indicate in the memo line that you would like your donation to go towards scholarships. We will mail you a donation receipt to the return address specified on the envelope. You are also welcome to leave a note with the best method for sending you a receipt. Please make your check payable to Friends.
What are the benefits of monthly donations?
Gifting us a recurring donation is an important way to invest in the stability of the Friends scholarship program. A weekly, monthly, or even annual donation is a special gift that supports Friends’ ability to offer convention scholarships in the long term.
How will the funds be used?
All funds go towards funding scholarships to the annual convention. Your donation will help us instill a sense of empowerment, foster confidence and self-esteem, and create an environment where feelings of isolation disappear.