The 2017 Best Buddies Friendship Walk (BBFW) allows us to support and build our programs right here in Tennessee, but we can’t do it without your participation. Fundraising can be intimidating, so we’re here to help with three simple steps to get you started and on your way to your goal!

Alka and I were matched in a Best Buddies friendship two years ago and have been great friends ever since! We love attending Best Buddies UNH events together which have included UNH football and hockey games, talent shows, and dances.

Last week, Wheelock College Best Buddies celebrated #BestBuddiesMonth by holding a Spread the Word to End the Word event, aiming to decrease the use of the R-word. In this student-produced video, hear from students and their buddies about what the event and the program mean to them.

The first time I spent the day at Lucia’s house, I met John. Friendships can be a struggle for many people, but I have had no struggles maintaining a strong bond with John. I still remember that day when he came home from work, telling me a story about a crazy customer who wanted to use a coupon from another store that had expired two years before.

On Sunday, March 12, 2017 Riverdale Country High School came together to host their 5th Annual Best Buddies Friendship Ball. Over 200 participants from high school and college chapters in the New York metro area came together to enjoy an afternoon of fun festivities, food, dancing and friendship.

On Friday March 3, 2017 the Suffolk University’s chapter of Best Buddies held their “Spread the Word to End the Word” event in the Sargent Hall Function Room. “Spread the Word to End the Word” is a campaign advocated by Best Buddies and the Special Olympics that aims at raising awareness and to educate people

On Wednesday March 1, West Potomac High School’s Best Buddies chapter held their Spread the Word to End the Word event . Crowds of students swarmed the giant blue banner and pledged their support to stop using the r-word, Ledo Pizza fed the whole school, and 94.7 Fresh FM Morning Show Host – and Capital Region Board Chair – Tommy McFly spoke to the students about the importance of retiring the r-word.

In the seven years I have known Sam, he truly has become the best friend I have. We like to get ice cream, go to the beach, and take walks in the parks in our area. We can do these activities and just be happy to be in one another’s company. We chat about our surroundings, laugh at stupid things, and enjoy chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream without ever feeling judged.

This extraordinary story starts when Jimmy told his friend Jennifer that he wanted to run a 5k with friends. The result established an outlet for Jimmy to get into shape, all while showing the community what people with intellectual disabilities are able to accomplish when given the chance.

There’s an old saying: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me. … But boy, is that a lie. Alumna Kelly Reymann (’03), assistant director for The Center on Sensory and Complex Disabilities and an adjunct professor of education, is one of many who disdain the r-word: retarded.