If you stutter, you have FRIENDS
FRIENDS is the only national organization dedicated solely to empowering young people who stutter and their families.
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Join Us in Chicago, July 18 - 20th, 2019 FRIENDS 22nd Annual Convention
18 jul 2019 – 20 jul 2019
Chicago, IL
Annual Convention
Join us in Chicago, Illinois for the FRIENDS’ 22nd annual convention. Meet kids, parents, siblings, and SLPs all hoping for the same unforgettable time as you. When you leave on Sunday, we are positive you will tell your new FRIENDS how happy you are that you decided to come to a FRIENDS convention, followed by a ‘See you next year!’ An important component to the FRIENDS convention is shared meal times as well as social gatherings in the evenings. Please take advantage of our tween, teen and adult hospitality rooms. You can expect this to be an amazing three-days of laughter, education, tears, support, hugs, and FRIENDSHIP. Enjoy!
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Our Mission
FRIENDS aims to provide support, education and empowerment to children and teens who stutter, their families and clinicians.
Our annual conventions and regional one day conferences provide the opportunities for life-changing experiences that can impact long lasting feelings about stuttering and offer new hope for a life with stuttering. FRIENDS seeks to make life easier for young people who stutter and their families.
Our Story
In 1997, FRIENDS was founded by John Ahlbach and Lee Caggiano to meet the need for organized support and education for young people who stutter and their families. Over the years, we have expanded into a national organization that hosts a large annual convention each July and many regional one-day conferences around the country throughout the year.
Annual Conventions
One Day Conferences
Attendees
Explore FRIENDS
Stepping Up
A teen mentoring program gives teens who stutter the opportunity to support children who stutter.
Events
Annual Convention and Regional One Day Conferences
Convention Scholarship Program
A PhD convention scholarship program that helps PhD students gain a deeper understanding of the experiences of children who stutter and their families
