“I love being in this organization. I really enjoy working with different people…”

“Being matched in the Citizens Program has been life-changing.”

One of our most exemplary buddy pairs is Jen Potocki and Hope Blevins. Hope and Jen met at our Paint Nite event at the Mispillion Art League. It was Hope’s first event as a new buddy and Jen was there assisting her mom, Miss Judy, who volunteers to run the event.

It is nearly impossible to return from our annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference (BBLC) without feeling inspired. Individual and group discussions about disability rights advocacy fuel the entire weekend. Guest speakers discuss the inclusion movement and performers with and without disabilities unite.

Best Buddies Month is a time for Best Buddies participants to reflect on the importance of friendship, jobs, and the development of future leaders. Most importantly, it is a time to show the world the significance of these essentials in every individual’s life.

On a beautiful day at the Suburban Little League fields, the assembled teams displayed their talents and demonstrated that kickball is not just for grade school anymore! The games were exciting and competitive but at the end of the day, it was about raising awareness about Best Buddies, having fun and making new friends.

The Best Buddies Delaware (BBDE) staff is pleased to offer its signature friendship model to many more people in the coming months through the expansion of our friendship programs for both students and adults. The BBDE staff has been actively been working to bring its programs to all in Delaware, and there’s a new and focused push to bring the Citizen Program (for adults) specifically to people with IDD in Southern Delaware, and to Greater Wilmington area schools.

Several residents from Independence Community near Millsboro, Delaware came out in 2016 with a resolve to make the world a nicer place. Program Supervisor Anne Karwath and her husband Kevin (also paired with a Buddy), shared the mission of the organization at a community gathering and three people signed up on the spot in hopes of becoming matched with a Buddy.

The Best Buddies Citizen Chapter at Bank of America has long been one of the most active and growing citizen’s chapters within the Best Buddies organization. This very strong program has experienced its growth in part to having committed members, outstanding and dedicated volunteers and an overall culture of excellence and service that have all contributed to a successful program.

Best Buddies Delaware is excited to welcome Deanna Blizzard to our staff as a Program Manager for Citizens – Southern Delaware. Deanna’s primary focus will be to promote the program in Southern Delaware and to recruit new volunteers to be matched in a one-to-one friendship with a person with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD).