Before Best Buddies, both Max and Karen felt like they didn’t quite belong to a community. While Max had his family to lean on, Karen was new to the Los Angeles area and didn’t know many people. They both separately learned about our adult Friendship program, Citizens, and joined in hopes of finding meaningful connection. In September 2022, Max and Karen were matched in a one-to-one friendship, and their relationship has blossomed ever since.

Max plays the guitar and Karen is a singer and songwriter. They instantly clicked over their shared passion for creating music. Their hangouts often turn into jam sessions where they collaborate and learn to play new songs together. Check out their rendition of “Black Bird” here. Karen is now no longer just a friend to Max, but she also is a bandmate. She just joined Max’s band which is called Spectrum Laboratory.

Karen shared, “When I was matched with Max through Best Buddies, it was the best thing that had happened to me that year! Him and his family immediately felt like my family, and to say my life changed for the better because of them would be an understatement.”

Some of the most fun they’ve had was preparing and performing the National Anthem at the Los Angeles Friendship Walk. It took a lot of practice and dedication to get it right, but they blew away the crowd of 1000+ people at both the 2023 and 2024 walks.

When they’re not playing music together, they’ve had fun going to concerts, taking longs walks and going to Best Buddies Citizens group happy hours. Karen said, “One of my favorite things about my friendship with Max is that I think we’ve both learned new ways to show up for a friend and express how we feel about the other person!” Max agrees with Karen’s sentiment and feels that Best Buddies has given him opportunities not just to belong but also to be a leader in the community.

To join our adult friendship program and find your buddy, fill out our membership application here.