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ABOUT BEST BUDDIES
The mission of Best Buddies is to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. |
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 Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,500 middle school, high school, and college campuses across the country and internationally. Best Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 United States. We have accredited international programs on six continents, with additional country programs under active development.
Our six formal programs - Best Buddies Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, e-Buddies and Jobs - positively impact 700,000 individuals. Best Buddies is also systematically implementing its 2010 Initiative that will witness the organization's continued significant growth, both domestically and overseas. Best Buddies volunteers annually contribute, at no cost to their communities, support services that equate to more than $170 million USD.
Even though Best Buddies has advanced tremendously in our short existence, many areas of the country and many regions of the world still lack programs to help people with IDDs become part of mainstream society. Our goal is to continue expanding nationwide and at the local community level, while more broadly engaging the global community through our programs. Visit www.bestbuddies.org for more information.
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Where the Money Goes
Contributions to Best Buddies are judiciously spent, with the majority of these funds directly applied to the enrichment of the organization's programs. Our total annual budget demonstrates that 89% of all monetary contributions are allocated to one of Best Buddies six programmatic divisions that directly integrates people with intellectual disabilities.
Every Donation Makes a Difference: No matter what size, a donation to Best Buddies can change a life.
$8,500: Secures a job for a Best Buddy
$7,500: Funds a High School or College Chapter
$6,500:Funds a Middle School Chapter Chapter
$2,000: Sponsors a Citizens Buddy Pair
$1,000: Funds a student to attend our Student Leadership Conference
$500: Sponsors an online e-Buddies Pair Conference
$300: Supports a High School Chapter Training
$150: Sponsors a campus-based Buddy Pair
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Parent Testimony:
"My daughter, Lauren Hammond, age 21, has been involved with Best Buddies for about eight years. She has Asperger's Syndrome. As parents of this special girl, we are most grateful to all of the young men and women who are buddies to people like our daughter. You may never know the true value of the time that you have so generously given to these kids...but we know. The lives of all involved in this program are enriched, including ours."
- Lori Hammond
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The Kennedy-Shriver Commitment and Legacy
For more than half a century, the Kennedy Family has been at the forefront of global efforts to support people with intellectual disabilities by working to change society's negative perception to one of inspiration, accomplishment and hope.
President John F. Kennedy founded the first President's Committee on Mental Retardation. He also welcomed a person with intellectual disabilities to the White House, thus becoming the first head of state anywhere in the world to receive a person with intellectual disabilities as an official guest.
His sister, the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver, was the founder and driving force of Special Olympics. Mrs. Shriver served as a board member of Best Buddies International and for 20 years and chaired the Auction Committee of the Best Buddies Ball held at her home in Potomac, Maryland. Her husband, Sargent Shriver, first Director of the Peace Corps, has also been an active supporter of Best Buddies for many years.
Influenced and inspired by his family's commitment, Anthony Kennedy Shriver started Best Buddies as a student at Georgetown in 1989. Anthony continues the Kennedy legacy and commitment to people with intellectual disabilities through his establishment and leadership of Best Buddies International.
Anthony's sister, Maria, is also committed to improving the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. In fact, she authored "What's Wrong With Timmy" - a book featuring one-to-one friendships between children with and without intellectual disabilities. Maria serves as the honorary chair of the Audi Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle.
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