As an organization, Best Buddies is approaching its Champion of the Year season! Champion of the Year is a string of fundraising campaigns organized by local Best Buddies staff and leadership. Each year individuals are nominated to campaign for Champion of the Year, within their state, alongside a mission partner. The champion candidates work to raise funds and promote the mission of Best Buddies throughout their two month campaign. A gala is hosted at the conclusion of the campaigns to celebrate all of the candidates’ hard work and to award the person who raises the most funds with the title, “Champion of the Year”.
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Chapter
Bring the mission of Best Buddies to your school or community by starting your own chapter
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Jobs Program
Get help finding a job that YOU want to do by joining the Jobs program and working with our staff.
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Ambassador
Have your voice heard and advocate for Best Buddies through speech writing, public speaking training, and more!
Become a
Board Member
Advocate, raise funds, and spread the mission of Best Buddies by joining an advisory board.
Manage Your Chapter Online!
Best Buddies’ chapter management portal is now available to current chapter leaders and advisors.
Young Leaders Council Blog
Best Buddies Leadership Conference 2024 Highlights
Last July, Best Buddies hosted their biggest event of the year: the Best Buddies Leadership Conference! It’s an opportunity for Best Buddies participants to meet each other, celebrate, and learn new skills to spread the mission of Best Buddies. Here are some highlights from the conference.
Inclusion Through Unified Sports
Unified Sports create the opportunity for individuals with disabilities to connect with their peers on the athletic playing surface and are an excellent demonstration of inclusion. Unified Sports teams are composed of athletes with developmental and intellectual disabilities and their peers, fulfilling the role of Unified Partners. These teams can be found within large organizations such as the Special Olympics, at recreation centers, and in many high schools.
Disability and Pride Month 2024
Each year, June is dedicated to LGBTQ+ Pride Month. Pride Month is a celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other sexualities and gender identities. Pride started in 1969 in Greenwich Village, New York. After years of being harassed and arrested for going into a gay bar by the police, members of the LGBTQ+ rioted in protest to express their frustrations. The next days and weeks following the events, the LGBTQ+ community took to the streets in protest, marking as the very first Pride March.