What is the Point of Best Buddies?

The point of Best Buddies is to create a supportive community that fosters inclusion and acceptance of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), by forming meaningful friendships and providing opportunities for personal growth and development. By doing so, Best Buddies aims to break down social and economic barriers, promoting a culture of empowerment and inclusion for people with IDD.

Understanding Best Buddies

Best Buddies is a non-profit organization that operates in middle schools, high schools, and colleges, creating buddy pairs between students with and without IDD. This student-run friendship club helps to create an inclusive school climate and a community culture of acceptance.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Best Buddies?: Best Buddies is a non-profit organization that creates one-to-one friendships between people with and without IDD, offering social interactions and improving the quality of life and level of inclusion for individuals with IDD.
2. Why is Best Buddies important?: Best Buddies is important because it empowers people with IDD by helping them form meaningful friendships, secure successful jobs, live independently, and improve public speaking, self-advocacy, and communication skills.
3. What are the rules for Best Buddies?: The rules for Best Buddies include not harassing, threatening, embarrassing, or insulting others, and not saying or doing anything harmful, abusive, or objectionable.
4. Why was Best Buddies created?: Best Buddies was created by Anthony Kennedy Shriver in 1989 to foster one-to-one friendships between people with and without IDD.
5. What does Best Buddies raise money for?: Best Buddies raises money to support its mission of inclusion, with the majority of funds used towards the enrichment of Friendship, Jobs, Leadership Development, and Living programs.
6. Is Best Buddies tax-deductible?: Yes, Best Buddies is a non-profit organization, and donations are fully tax-deductible.
7. How many states have a Best Buddies program?: Best Buddies is active in all 50 states in the United States.
8. Who runs Best Buddies?: Best Buddies is run by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, the Founder, Chairman & CEO, along with other vice presidents and staff members.
9. What are the Best Buddies colors?: The Best Buddies colors are yellow, teal, orange, and violet, each representing one of the organization’s key mission pillars.
10. What age is Best Buddies for?: Best Buddies is for individuals with and without IDD who range in age from 13 to older adults.
11. Who started Best Buddies?: Best Buddies was started by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, who founded the original chapter at Georgetown University.
12. Why do you want to join Best Buddies?: Joining Best Buddies provides an opportunity to build one-to-one friendships with people with IDD, improving their quality of life and level of inclusion.
13. What is the purpose of buddies?: The purpose of buddies is to provide support and guidance to new employees or individuals, helping them to learn and grow.
14. How many people does Best Buddies serve?: Best Buddies serves 200 million people with IDD worldwide, making it the largest organization of its kind.
15. What is the Best Buddies slogan?: The Best Buddies slogan is “More than just a Club”, reflecting the organization’s commitment to creating meaningful friendships and inclusive communities.