Previous slide
Next slide

About Eunie’s Buddies

Best Buddies Family Support offers families the support and resources needed to navigate the journey of raising a child with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Eunie’s Buddies serves as the pioneering program within the Family Support initiative. It is named affectionately in honor of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of Special Olympics and a true hero who advocated tirelessly for positive change in the lives of individuals with IDD. Eunie’s Buddies pairs experienced parents of a child with an IDD with new parents who are expecting, have just welcomed a baby, or are raising a child up to the age of five years old who has been recently diagnosed with an IDD. This pairing creates a mentor–mentee connection and friendship. Eunie’s Buddies provides a framework offering parents and caregivers encouragement, emotional support, and valuable resources. Participation in Eunie’s Buddies helps families pave the way for a child with IDD to have an education, gainful employment, and a fulfilled life.

Mission

Best Buddies International is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, inclusive living and family support for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Who We Serve

The IDD community that Best Buddies serves includes, but is not limited to, people and their families with Down syndrome, autism, fragile x, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities.

Programs

Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people and families with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower the special abilities of people with IDD by helping them form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills, and feel valued by society.

BESTBUDDIES®
Four Mission Pillars

One-To-One
Friendships

Integrated
Employment

Leadership
Development

Inclusive
Living

Family
Support

One-To-One Friendships

Builds friendships between people with and without IDD, offering social mentoring while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion.

Integrated Employment

Secures jobs for people with IDD, allowing them to earn an income, pay taxes, and support themselves.

Leadership Development

Educates and empowers people with and without IDD, to be leaders, public speakers and advocates.

Inclusive
Living

Providing a vibrant, integrated living opportunity for people with and without IDD.

Family
Support

Photo of two parents kissing their child with an IDD.

Providing families support and resources for raising children with IDD.