Best Buddies International
Best Buddies International is an American nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. It consists of volunteers that create opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The program's main purpose is to allow volunteers to be paired up with a buddy with an intellectual and developmental disability and provide them with a friend or a mentor.[1] Best Buddies is the world's largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with IDD.[2] It is an international movement that has spread to over 54 countries worldwide.[3]
Founded
1989
To enhance the lives of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Miami, Florida, US
Worldwide
Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is an international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,500 college, high school and middle school campuses across the United States and internationally.[4] The Georgetown University Chapter of Best Buddies is the biggest in the Washington, D.C., area and is also the birthplace of the organization.[5]
Chapters[edit]
The first official Best Buddies chapter was founded at Georgetown University in 1989, and the second was at The Catholic University of America in 1991.[11] As of 2019, there are over 1,500 chapters, and over 400 on college campuses.[11]
Each chapter has an official website called the Chapter Portal. Through this site, members are able to view the calendar, roster, or other important information about the chapter. The administration of a chapter is responsible for updating the Chapter Portal when necessary.
Other Sponsors[edit]
Other sponsors of Best Buddies include Foundations and Government Partners such as the Annenberg Foundation, the Florida Department of Education and the United States Department of Education. Best Buddies also accepts donations from individual donors.