Advancing social mobility and equity through shared experiences and peer support. The Friendship Factor was founded on the simple premise that we all need friends. All children need friends for support, stimulation, companionship, to build confidence, self-esteem and develop relationships that prepare them for life. Yet many children with developmental disabilities grow up excluded from the web of membership and connections that define community life, their social universe limited to interaction primarily with their family and the sphere of “specialized services”. We are building a community that recognizes the central importance of friendships and connections in ALL our lives.