We’re Special Too! is free for all children and provides fun, interactive, and therapeutic activities that enable siblings to share their feelings in a positive and supportive way. The program also provides peer support, education and a good time for school-age children and adolescents, and helps them to understand that their experiences and feelings are not unique. These children need assistance and attention in dealing with the emotions siblings may feel as a result of having a brother or sister with a life-threatening, chronic, or terminal illness or developmental/physical disability. The program is designed to help meet their needs, and with the help and support of the community we can continue to do this.

Our volunteer facilitator force continues to be strong, comprised of 21 caring and energetic individuals who strive to provide our sibs with a safe, supportive environment, filled with fun and therapeutic activities. Our volunteers include New Haven and Yale community, members such as: teachers, business people, nurses, social workers, psychologists and college and graduate students. The recruitment and training of new volunteers is ongoing and new faces are always welcome in order to enhance our numbers and enrich the experiences of our siblings.

The Advisory Board made up of 20 dedicated people including Friends of the Yale-New Haven Hospital Board members, Sibshop facilitators, Yale-New Haven Hospital staff, community members and parents of siblings meets quarterly to strategize methods to support the program through fund raising and in-kind donations. As a non-profit program solely dependent upon volunteer and monetary donations any donations for our support for any of our monthly SibShop programs is much appreciated.