Best Buddies

Best Buddies is a nonprofit organization that strives for a movement towards inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This organization serves people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities. This organization is one that has spread worldwide and has a large impact, to be specific, there are 2,860 chapters across 53 countries that have impacted 1,251,500 people.

The way this organization works to impact people is by creating opportunities for interactions between people with and without IDD. The biggest ways they do this is by creating one-to-one friendships between chapter members and members with IDD, as well as, integrated employment opportunities and leadership development.

The reason this organization works is because of the dedication found within. Like anything else, Best Buddies has a goal in mind that keeps them moving forward, the 2020 Initiative. The 2020 Initiative is Best Buddies vision to have an office open in all 50 states by the end of 2020. Along with opening an office in every state of America, the 2020 Initiative plans to increase Buddy Ambassadors to 4,000, find the opportunity for 1,000 jobs for people with IDD, and increase the number of school chapters to 2,500.

The organization strives for greatness, and that is exactly what it is doing.

My mom, Joan Musser, and my brother, Max Musser and the 2017 Best Buddies Fundraiser Walk

“Vision and Goals.” Best Buddies International, www.bestbuddies.org/what-we-do/vision-and-goals/.