Best Buddies International Inc

Best Buddies is the largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people worldwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower people with IDD to form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure jobs, improve communication and advocacy skills, and live independently, while also offering support for their families.

The Best Buddies Friendship programs build one-to-one friendships between people with and without 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.

The Jobs program secures jobs for people with IDD allowing them to earn an income, pay taxes, and continuously and independently support themselves. The program places focus beyond the typical jobs in which a person with IDD might be placed. Best Buddies focuses on finding work that matches the job seeker’s interests and talents.  

The Leadership Development programs educate and empower people with and without IDD to become leaders, public speakers and advocates. Best Buddies passionately believes that its program participants can lead the effort within their community and beyond to build a more inclusive world for people with IDD.

Best Buddies' Living program fosters an integrated experience for people with and without IDD to become active, contributing citizens who live independently in a dynamic environment where they can learn, grow, and thrive.

The most recent program offering under our new Family Support pillar is Eunie's Buddies, which 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 who has been recently diagnosed with an IDD. This pairing creates a mentor–mentee connection and friendship.

Learn more at bestbuddies.org.

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 and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Best Buddies International Inc is a Charity participating in the $100,000 Guaranteed Jackpot- 4 Game Carryover a 50/50 Raffle event, presented by Boston Bruins Foundation.