December 8, 2025

6:00 - 10:00 PM | Pittsburgh, PA

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TasteBuds Presented By:

Get ready, Pittsburgh, TasteBuds is BACK and better than ever!

Best Buddies Pittsburgh is cooking up something truly special with the return of our most delicious event of the year! TasteBuds is where the city’s top chefs team up with incredible individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to serve up their signature dishes, with a side of friendship and heart.

It’s a night full of bold bites, tasty sips, and unforgettable moments. Each chef gets a rockstar sous-chef partner, and together they’ll create culinary magic you won’t want to miss.

But wait there’s more! We’re spicing things up with the return of Champion of the Year, a fun and friendly competition featuring amazing community leaders going head-to-head in a 10-week campaign to support inclusion. The big winner will be crowned live at TasteBuds!

Expect great food, signature cocktails, live entertainment, a sizzling auction, and above all, support for Best Buddies’ life-changing Friendship & Leadership Programs.

Try new flavors. Make new friends!

Emcee: Channing Powell

Channing Powell is a media personality and content creator who elevates brands and builds community through storytelling, social strategy, and on-camera presence. She serves as the face of Made in PGH, blending social media, events, and community partnerships to highlight the best of Pittsburgh. Passionate about bringing stories to life through connection, creativity, and community, she was also named one of Pittsburgh’s “50 Finest” for her impact on the city. Channing is thrilled to help celebrate friendship, fun, and the spirit of inclusion at TasteBuds.

Auctioneer: Matthew Newsom

As a Hairy Cell Leukemia survivor, the first galas I supported benefited the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society who developed the treatment that put me into remission. My life experiences have brought me to benefit auctioneering. Being a benefit auctioneer allows me to put all three of these strengths to work for each of my non-profit partners. Doing what I’m good at plus doing what I enjoy plus helping so many worthy causes is the perfect combination for me!

Schedule

Monday, December 8, 2025
VIP Hour: 6:00PM
General Admission: 7:00PM
Program: 8:30PM

Attire: Cocktail

Ticketing
There are no physical tickets this year. All guests will have their names listed at the door.

Location

The David L. Lawrence Convention Center
1000 Fort Duquesne Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Event Contact

FallonDeRiggi@bestbuddies.org

Congrats to our 2024 Pittsburgh Champion of the Year

Lindley Diecks

Raised over $72,688 for Best Buddies in Pittsburgh

Meet our 2025 Champion Candidates:

Auctioneer
Matt Newsom

As a Hairy Cell Leukemia survivor, the first galas I supported benefited the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society who developed the treatment that put me into remission. My life experiences have brought me to benefit auctioneering. Being a benefit auctioneer allows me to put all three of these strengths to work for each of my non-profit partners. Doing what I’m good at plus doing what I enjoy plus helping so many worthy causes is the perfect combination for me!

Emcee
Heather Abraham

Heather Abraham co-hosts KDKA’s “Pittsburgh Today Live,” with David Highfield, every weekday morning at 9AM; and is the host of Talk Pittsburgh, every weekday afternoon at 3PM. Being an active part of the community is very important to Heather. She’s been involved with the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania, even taking part in their annual polar plunge fundraiser, as well as Hair Peace Charities, Animal Friends, and the KDKA-TV Turkey Fund. Her community involvement, though, includes being a good neighbor! She established an annual block party and helped to create a safe Light Up Night on her street during the 2020 COVID pandemic.

Restaurants

A Glimpse of the Party

About Best Buddies

All funds raised benefit Best Buddies – the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people 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.

The IDD community that Best Buddies serves includes, but is not limited to, people with Down Syndrome, Autism, Fragile X, Williams Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities.

We Love our Sponsors!

Presenting Sponsor

Additional Sponsors

For event information and sponsorship opportunities, contact FallonDeRiggi@bestbuddies.org.