{"id":163809,"date":"2022-05-06T18:56:35","date_gmt":"2022-05-06T22:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bestbuddies.org\/?p=163809"},"modified":"2022-07-25T13:13:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T17:13:45","slug":"meet-alex-rogers-ohio-state-university-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-3-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-2-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bestbuddies.org\/newjersey\/friendship-walk-raised-donations-for-programs","title":{"rendered":"Friendship Walk raised $85,360 for New Jersey Programs"},"content":{"rendered":"
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”163810″ img_size=”full”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/6″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”2\/3″][vc_column_text]The Best Buddies New Jersey Friendship Walk<\/strong><\/a> raised $85,360 for inclusion!! We had 477 amazing walkers like you raise funds to support our one-to-one friendship, integrated employment, and leadership development programs in New Jersey. This walk wouldn’t have been possible without our sponsors, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield, Merck, JLL, Organon, and Diversant!<\/p>\n

These funds enable us to continue supporting our 27 friendship chapters with 119 buddy pairs and welcome new chapters this upcoming fall like Hopewell Valley Central HS, West Orange HS, Roosevelt Middle School, Cranford HS, etc. 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. Also, this walk allows us to create 10 new adult one-to-one friendship matches this month![\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”20px”]