Best Buddies USF

Best Buddies USF Best Buddies is an organization dedicated to fostering one-to-one friendships between people with & without intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,700 middle school, high school, and college chapters worldwide. Best Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 United States, and in over 50 countries around the world. Best Buddies’ eight formal programs — Middle Schools, High Schools, C

olleges, Citizens, e-Buddies®, Jobs, Ambassadors, and Promoters — positively impact more than 800,000 individuals with and without disabilities worldwide. Best Buddies volunteers annually contribute, at no cost to their communities, support services that equate to more than $168 million USD. In many cases, as a result of their involvement with Best Buddies, people with IDD secure rewarding jobs, live on their own, become inspirational leaders, and make lifelong friendships. Although Best Buddies has advanced tremendously in its short existence, many areas of the country and many regions of the world still lack programs to help people with IDD become part of mainstream society. With that in mind, Best Buddies is systematically implementing its 2020 Initiative, which will witness the organization’s continued significant growth, both domestically and overseas Mission: To establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Vision: To put Best Buddies® out of business. About Best Buddies: Best Buddies International is the world’s largest nonprofit organization devoted solely to providing opportunities for friendship, employment, and leadership development for people with IDD. In the United States, the organization’s 2013 cash budget is just over $25 million; globally, it is close to $40 million. If Best Buddies had to pay its volunteers, operating costs would be closer to $193 million. 81% of all revenue goes directly to Best Buddies programs for people with IDD, while only 19% is spent on administration and fundraising. History of Service: Best Buddies was born when founder Anthony K. Shriver recognized that people with IDD lacked opportunities to socialize with their peers without disabilities. Believing that friendship is key to building the self-esteem essential to a happy and productive life, Shriver incorporated Best Buddies as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization in 1989. Today, Best Buddies offers eight programs: Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, e-Buddies®, Jobs, Ambassadors, and Promoters. Participants: With more than 1,700 chapters around the world, Best Buddies positively impacts the lives of over 800,000 people with and without IDD. Countries: Best Buddies operates accredited programs in more than 50 countries: Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Korea, Lebanon, Macao, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, Spain, St. Kitts & Nevis, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Sweden, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States of America, Venezuela and Viet Nam, with additional country programs in advanced phases of development.

2020 Initiative: Best Buddies created the 2020 Initiative in 2011, with the goal of opening offices in all 50 states, expanding into 100 countries, and impacting three million people with and without IDD worldwide by the end of 2020. The initiative also includes plans to train 4,000 Buddy Ambassadors, develop 1,000 jobs for people with IDD around the world, and increase the number of school-based chapters to 2,500. As a result of these ambitious expansion efforts, Best Buddies hopes to become a household name by the end of 2020.

Address

Tampa, FL

General information

When people with disabilities are unable to attain or maintain a job, it is most often due to an absence of social skills, rather than an inability to perform the work required. Best Buddies® offers participants socialization and leadership opportunities, as well as job coaching, thereby providing the necessary tools for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to become more independent and more included in the community. Best Buddies Middle Schools fosters one-to-one friendships between students with and without IDD. Students with IDD are often isolated and left out of social activities. Best Buddies Middle Schools helps to create an inclusive school climate for students early on in their educational development. Best Buddies High Schools fosters one-to-one friendships between students with and without IDD. The high school years are a time of heightened social and emotional development and can be difficult even for those without IDD. Best Buddies High Schools helps break through social barriers at an important time in a young person’s life. Best Buddies Colleges fosters one-to-one friendships between college students and adults with IDD and college students without IDD. Historically, adults with IDD have been isolated in home or work environments. Best Buddies Colleges is changing this by providing the opportunity for people with IDD to be involved in campus and community life. Best Buddies Promoters empowers youth to become advocates for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by organizing and attending special events that promote advocacy and bring awareness to the disability rights movement. Best Buddies Citizens fosters one-to-one friendships between adults with and without IDD in corporate and civic communities. This program helps people with IDD become part of mainstream society and creates an inclusive and diverse community for all. e-Buddies provides a safe online forum to develop one-to-one friendships between people with and without IDD. Technology is an integral part of society and by participating in e-Buddies, participants can develop the skills necessary to be able to communicate using a variety of sources. Best Buddies Ambassadors educates and empowers people with IDD through group trainings and workshops to be leaders and public speakers in their schools, communities, and work places. Best Buddies Ambassadors is the next step for the disability rights movement--teaching people with IDD the skills they need to successfully self-advocate. Best Buddies Jobs is a supported employment program that secures competitive paying jobs for people with IDD, therefore enabling them to work as respected individuals. The program develops partnerships with employers, assists with the hiring process, and provides ongoing support to the employee and employer.

Telephone

612-276-6253

Website

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