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Friendship (North Carolina)

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One-to-One Friendship Programs

Best Buddies Friendship programs represent one of our organization’s four key mission pillars.  These programs build one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), offering social interactions while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion for a population that is often isolated and excluded. Through their participation, people with IDD form meaningful connections with their peers, gain self-confidence and self-esteem, and share interests, experiences and activities that many other individuals enjoy.

Join a Chapter
Two participants walking down street together

BESTBUDDIES® Elementary Schools

Builds connections and community between young students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through inclusive activities and social-emotional learning tools that promote one-to-one friendship, acceptance, and interaction at an early age.

Join a chapter
two young best buddies participants with their arms over each others shoulders

BESTBUDDIES® Middle Schools

Fosters one-to-one friendships between middle school students with and without IDD, in which they share interests, experiences, and activities. Students with IDD are often isolated and left out of social activities. Best Buddies Middle Schools helps to create an inclusive middle school culture for all students early on in their educational development.

Join a chapter
two middle school participants smiling

BESTBUDDIES® High Schools

Fosters one-to-one friendships between high school students with and without IDD. In this time of heightened social and emotional development that can be difficult even for teenagers without IDD, the Best Buddies High Schools program helps break through social barriers at an important time in a young person’s life.

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Two female High school students standing back to back and smiling

BESTBUDDIES® Colleges

Fosters one-to-one friendships between college students without IDD and their peers on campus or in the community with IDD. Young adults with IDD historically have been isolated at home or in work environments. The Best Buddies Colleges program is changing this by providing the opportunity for people with IDD to be involved in their local campus and community life.

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two college program participants hugging

BESTBUDDIES® Citizens

Supports the development of friendships between adults with and without IDD in corporate and civic communities. Many people with IDD have limited opportunities for social interactions after they leave the school environment. This program helps people with IDD become part of mainstream society and creates an inclusive and diverse community for all.

Join a program
Two male citizen program members flexing their muscles

e-Buddies ®

e-Buddies provides opportunities for volunteers with and without IDD to develop friendships online and create connections using the power of technology. The program provides the opportunity for members to connect through the e-Buddies social platform, which is designed to expand friendships and create shared experiences through virtual social events. Anyone age 13 and older can participate in e-Buddies. Our program is available throughout the United States and internationally for English-speaking people.

More Info
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How our Friendship programs Work

Matching

A participant with IDD is paired with a person without IDD based on location and shared interest for at least one year of friendship. For school programs, matches typically start at the beginning of the school year.

Meet-ups

Participating in activities and spending quality in-person time together at least twice a month is suggested for buddy pairs of all ages.

Events

Best Buddies Offices and Chapters plan events, host group activities, support friendship matches and are available for onsite support.

Communication

Buddy pairs connect at least once a week by email, phone call, texting, social media or written correspondence.

Email

For e-Buddies, participants communicate via email at least once a week for a year.

Monitoring

Best Buddies staff members maintain regular contact with Friendship program participants to ensure the quality of matched pairs.

North Carolina Chapter Listing

Filter by
radius-pinElementary Schools middle-schools-pinMiddle Schoolshigh-schools-pinHigh Schools colleges-pinColleges radius-pin  Citizens program
To join a chapter, click a school name below
Elementary Schools
  • Beverly Woods Elementary School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 6001 Quail Hollow Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28210, US, null, null, 35.1315682, -80.83611379999999, null]

  • Catawba Elementary School (Catawba, NC)

    API address [ 5415 Hudson Chapel Rd, Catawba, NC, 28609, US, null, null, 35.6968292, -81.0732234, null]

  • Elon Park Elementary School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 11425 Ardrey Kell Road, Charlotte, NC, 28277, US, null, null, 35.0229671, -80.8431416, null]

  • Lawrence Orr Elementary School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 4835 Shamrock Dr, Charlotte, NC, 28215, US, null, null, 35.2258236, -80.744042, null]

  • Lead Mine Elementary School (Raleigh, NC)

    API address [ 8301 Old Lead Mine Road, Raleigh, NC, 27615, US, null, null, 35.8917406, -78.65671689999999, null]

  • McKee Road Elementary (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 4101 McKee Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28270, US, null, null, 35.0682015, -80.7549578, null]

Middle Schools
  • Brogden Middle School (Durham, NC)

    API address [ 1001 Leon Street, Durham, NC, 27704, US, null, null, 36.0248147, -78.90899449999999, null]

  • Brookstone Schools and Metro School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 405 S Davidson St, Charlotte, NC, 28202, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • Carmel Middle School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 5001 Camilla Dr, Charlotte, NC, 28226-6760, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • Holy Trinity Catholic Middle School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 3100 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28209-2002, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • Jay M. Robinson Middle School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 5925 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Charlotte, NC, 28277-0575, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • McClintock Middle School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 1925 Rama Road, Charlotte, NC, 28212, US, null, null, 35.1797721, -80.768793, null]

  • Randolph Middle School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 4400 Water Oak Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28211, US, null, null, 35.1834201, -80.79500510000001, null]

  • Wake Forest Middle School (Wake Forest, NC)

    API address [ 1800 South Main Street, Wake Forest, NC, 27587, US, null, null, 35.9550452, -78.53065850000002, null]

High Schools
  • Ballantyne Ridge High Schoool (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 4004 Toringdon Way, Charlotte, NC, 28277, US, null, null, 35.0724152, -80.8377139, null]

  • Charlotte Catholic High School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 7702 Pineville-Matthews Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28226, US, null, null, 35.0883198, -80.85006059999999, null]

  • Community School of Davidson (Davidson, NC)

    API address [ 404 Armour St, Davidson, NC, 28036-6905, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • Cuthbertson High School (Waxhaw, NC)

    API address [ 1400 Cuthbertson Rd, Waxhaw, NC, 28173-8101, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • Heritage High School (Wake Forest, NC)

    API address [ 1150 Forestville Rd, Wake Forest, NC, 27587-7600, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • Mount Tabor High School (Winston-Salem, NC)

    API address [ 342 Petree Rd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106-4400, US, null, null, 36.1265075, -80.314706, null]

  • Myers Park High School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 2400 Colony Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28209-1716, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • North Brunswick High School (Leland, NC)

    API address [ 114 Scorpion Drive Northeast, Leland, NC, 28451, US, null, null, 34.240703, -78.023386, null]

  • North Mecklenburg High School (Huntersville, NC)

    API address [ 11201 Old Statesville Rd, Huntersville, NC, 28078-7644, US, null, null, 35.3726846, -80.8341696, null]

  • Northwest School of the Arts (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 1415 Beatties Ford Road, Charlotte, NC, 28216, US, null, null, 35.256832058195, -80.856307931643, null]

  • Parkwood High School (Monroe, NC)

    API address [ 3220 Parkwood School Road, Monroe, NC, 28112, US, null, null, 34.9016156, -80.6306291, null]

  • Queens Grant High School (Matthews, NC)

    API address [ 10323 Idlewild Rd, Matthews, NC, 28105, US, null, null, 35.1664083, -80.6998661, null]

  • Ravenscroft School (Raleigh, NC)

    API address [ 7409 Falls of Neuse Rd, Raleigh, NC, 27615, US, null, null, 35.8848291, -78.6305201, null]

  • Reagan High School (Pfafftown, NC)

    API address [ 3750 Transou Road, Pfafftown, NC, 27040, US, null, null, 36.17064209999999, -80.3655007, null]

  • Rolesville High School (Rolesville, NC)

    API address [ 1099 E Young St, Rolesville, NC, 27571-9243, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • South Mecklenburg High School (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ 8900 Park Rd, Charlotte, NC, 28210-7609, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • VCA & School of Hope (Fayetteville, NC)

    API address [ 908 South McPherson Church Road, Fayetteville, NC, 28303, US, null, null, 35.04887720000001, -78.9394312, null]

  • Wake Forest High School (Wake Forest, NC)

    API address [ 420 Stadium Drive, Wake Forest, NC, 27587, US, null, null, 35.985911, -78.5162854, null]

  • West Cabarrus High School (Concord, NC)

    API address [ 4100 Weddington Rd, Concord, NC, 28027, US, null, null, 35.4012647, -80.64654159999999, null]

  • William Amos Hough High School (Cornelius, NC)

    API address [ 12420 Bailey Rd, Cornelius, NC, 28031-9134, US, null, null, null, null, null]

Colleges
  • Appalachian State University (Boone, NC)

    API address [ 287 River Side Dr, Boone, NC, 28607-5100, US, null, null, 36.239407, -81.60233749999999, null]

  • Duke University (Durham, NC)

    API address [ 2138 Campus Dr, Durham, NC, 27705-9940, US, null, null, 35.9997503, -78.9333601, null]

  • High Point University (High Point, NC)

    API address [ 1 N University Pkwy, High Point, NC, 27268-0002, US, null, null, 35.9708428, -79.995014, null]

  • North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro, NC)

    API address [ Fort I.R.C./Interdisciplinary Research Center, Greensboro, NC, 27411, US, null, null, 36.0733195, -79.7749008, null]

  • North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC)

    API address [ Memorial Belltower, Raleigh, NC, 27607, US, null, null, 35.78611739999999, -78.66349770000001, null]

  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill, NC)

    API address [ 910 Raleigh Rd, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514-3916, US, null, null, null, null, null]

  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ Prospector, Charlotte, NC, 28223-0001, US, null, null, 35.30703099999999, -80.7309078, null]

  • University of North Carolina at Wilmington (Wilmington, NC)

    API address [ 601 College Rd, Wilmington, NC, 28403-3201, US, null, null, 34.2277698, -77.8796689, null]

  • Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem, NC)

    API address [ 1834 Wake Forest Rd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27109-6000, US, null, null, 36.1372087, -80.2748648, null]

Citizens
  • North Carolina Citizens (ages 18+) (Charlotte, NC)

    API address [ null, Charlotte, NC, null, null, null, null, null, null, null]

  • Pfizer & Stevens Center (PSC) Citizens Chapter (Applicants MUST be affiliated with Pfizer-Sanford or the Stevens Center) (Sanford, NC)

    API address [ null, Sanford, NC, null, null, null, null, null, null, null]

Is your school not listed? Click here for info on how to start a chapter.

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