Best Buddies International Inc

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.

THE BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP PROGRAMS MATCH VOLUNTEERS WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (IDD) IN ONE-TO-ONE FRIENDSHIP MATCHES THROUGH FIVE UNIQUE PROGRAMS: MIDDLE SCHOOLS, HIGH SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, CITIZENS, AND E-BUDDIES. BEST BUDDIES HAS GROWN FROM A SINGLE COLLEGE PROGRAM, STARTED AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY IN 1989, AND HAS GROWN TO 2,938 GLOBAL CHAPTERS, INCLUDING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND IS ACTIVE IN 47 COUNTRIES. LAST YEAR, THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC LED TO A SIGNIFICANT DOWNTURN IN MEMBERSHIP WORLDWIDE, WITH MEMBERSHIP FALLING BY ABOUT 46%. WE ARE HAPPY TO REPORT THAT MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS HAVE BOUNCED BACK BY ALMOST 40% AS THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC ARE SOFTENING WITH BEST BUDDIES MEMBERSHIP NUMBERS FOR SCHOOL PROGRAMS INCREASING TO 82,500. SCHOOL PROGRAMS, WHICH MAKE UP THE BULK OF OUR PARTICIPANTS ANNUALLY, WERE THE HARDEST HIT FROM THE OUTSET OF THE PANDEMIC AND THEY REMAIN THE SLOWEST TO BOUNCE BACK, PARTICULARLY FOR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS WHERE SEVERAL COUNTRY PROGRAMS WERE FORCED TO DRAMATICALLY CURTAIL OR FULLY PAUSE PROGRAMS DUE TO LOCAL HEALTH GUIDELINES AND RESTRICTIONS. LOOKING TOWARD THE UPCOMING ACADEMIC YEAR, WE REMAIN CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC THAT OUR PROGRAMS ARE POISED TO CONTINUE AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY. BEST BUDDIES CITIZENS THROUGHOUT 2021 THE CITIZENS PROGRAM CONTINUED TO GAIN INTEREST AND TRACTION, WITH ENGAGEMENTS STEADILY INCREASING ALL YEAR AND 7,858 MEMBERS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM. ONLINE EVENTS INCREASED PARTICIPATION FROM MEMBERS ON A STATE AND NATIONAL LEVEL, PROVIDING VITAL ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BEST BUDDIES MEMBERS SEEKING TO EXPAND THEIR SOCIAL NETWORK. STAFF MEMBERS WORKING WITH CITIZENS PROGRAMS HOSTED NATIONAL VIRTUAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WITH THE FRIENDSGIVING EVENT IN NOVEMBER HAVING REPRESENTATION FROM NEARLY ALL BEST BUDDIES OFFICES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND APPROXIMATELY 209 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE ON ZOOM. THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST VIRTUAL EVENTS HAS OPENED THE DOOR TO CROSS-COUNTRY FRIENDSHIPS AND A LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT NEVER SEEN ON THIS SCALE. WE ARE EXCITED TO CONTINUE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS, BOTH IN CITIZENS AND E-BUDDIES, THROUGHOUT 2022.BEST BUDDIES COLLEGESBEST BUDDIES' FOUNDING PROGRAM CONTINUES TO EXPAND WITH 515 ACTIVE CHAPTERS WORLDWIDE. THE LEVEL OF PARTICIPATION IN COLLEGE PROGRAMS INCREASED DRASTICALLY IN 2021 COMPARED TO THE 2020 YEAR WHEN MANY SCHOOLS WERE OPERATING IN A HYBRID LEARNING SPACE. MEMBERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM INCREASED DRASTICALLY WITH THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR, WITH NEARLY 24,000 MEMBERS ENGAGED IN CHAPTER EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES. COLLEGE ENGAGEMENT CONTINUES TO THRIVE AS SCHOOL LEADERS WORK TO FORM PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER CAMPUS ORGANIZATIONS, CREATING A LARGER AND MORE ROBUST NETWORK ON CAMPUS THAT CONTRIBUTES TO MORE AWARENESS ABOUT THE MISSION. BEST BUDDIES HIGH SCHOOLS BEST BUDDIES HIGH SCHOOLS CONTINUES TO SERVE AS THE LARGEST BEST BUDDIES SCHOOL PROGRAM WITH 1,407 CHAPTERS AND 45,000 MEMBERS. WITH MANY SCHOOLS OFFERING IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE YEAR, THE MEMBERSHIP IN HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTERS HAS DRASTICALLY INCREASED AS CHAPTERS PROVIDED MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROUP EVENTS AND CHAPTER MEETINGS THAT BROUGHT MEMBERS TOGETHER. WHILE PROGRAMING CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AND MANY CHAPTERS RETURNED TO PRE-PANDEMIC EVENT ENGAGEMENTS, BEST BUDDIES STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND ENGAGE LEADERS TO CREATE INNOVATIVE AND CREATIVE PROGRAMMING TO BEST SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF THEIR CHAPTER MEMBERS WHILE ADHERING TO LOCAL HEALTH REQUIREMENTS. BEST BUDDIES MIDDLE SCHOOLS IN 2021, THERE WERE 501 CHAPTERS PARTICIPATED IN BEST BUDDIES WITH 6,478 MEMBERS ENGAGED WORLDWIDE. THE BEST BUDDIES MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM HAS MAINTAINED POSITIVE GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AND HAS POSITIVELY BENEFITTED FROM EXPANSION EFFORTS AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL WHICH INCREASE THE PIPELINE OF VOLUNTEERS MOVING INTO MIDDLE SCHOOL. SUPPORTED BY CHAPTER ADVISORS, EVERY SCHOOL CLUB IS LED BY TWO STUDENTS - ONE WITH A DISABILITY AND ONE WITHOUT A DISABILITY - AND ALL MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN PLANNING AND EXECUTING EVENTS. STAFF AND CHAPTER ADVISORS CONTINUE TO USE CREATIVE, ENGAGING METHODS TO INCREASE ENGAGEMENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHAPTER MEMBERS, INCLUDING THE HARMONY SEL PROGRAM KITS THAT FOSTER CONNECTIONS WITH BUDDY UP AND MEET UP ACTIVITIES.

E-BUDDIESE-BUDDIES CREATES SOCIAL INCLUSION AND FRIENDSHIPS FOR PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES (IDD) IN A VIRTUAL SPACE. GIVEN THE EMERGING RELIANCE UPON TECHNOLOGY TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL CONNECTIONS DURING THE PANDEMIC, THE E-BUDDIES PROGRAM LAUNCHED A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY IN 2021 THAT FOCUSED ON MODERNIZING E-BUDDIES AND ALLOWS US TO MEET THE INCREASED INTEREST AND NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. E-BUDDIES MEMBERS CAN ATTEND VIRTUAL SOCIAL EVENTS AND PARTICIPATE IN AN E-BUDDIES SOCIAL PLATFORM THAT WILL EXPAND FRIENDSHIPS AND CREATE SHARED EXPERIENCES - ALL THROUGH USING TECHNOLOGY! MEMBERS CONNECT THROUGH MONTHLY ZOOM EVENTS IN THE VIBRANT COMMUNITY PLATFORM AND CREATE FRIENDSHIPS THROUGH ENGAGING DISCUSSION POSTS, ENTERTAINING POLLS AND Q&AS, AND INTEREST GROUPS. BY PARTICIPATING IN E-BUDDIES, MEMBERS DEVELOP TECHNOLOGY LITERACY SKILLS AND BECOME MORE CONFIDENT COMMUNICATING ONLINE. THIS ALLOWS OUR PARTICIPANTS TO BECOME MORE WELL-VERSED IN THIS EVER-CHANGING MODE OF COMMUNICATION AND SOCIALIZATION, WHICH IN TURN, WILL HELP THEM TO BE BETTER PREPARED FOR WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS.

BEST BUDDIES AMBASSADORSBEST BUDDIES AMBASSADORS OFFERS PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT INTELLECTUAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES TRAINING TO GAIN THE PUBLIC SPEAKING SKILLS, SELF-ESTEEM, AND CONFIDENCE NEEDED TO SUCCESSFULLY ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES, THEIR PEERS, AND THE BEST BUDDIES MISSION OF INCLUSION IN SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES, AND WORKPLACES. MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN A VARIETY OF IN-PERSON AND ONLINE TRAINING EXPERIENCES, WITH INDIVIDUAL MARKETS ADAPTING TO THE NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES BASED ON COVID POLICIES IN PLACE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. ON AVERAGE THERE ARE 10 AMBASSADORS PER TRAINING WITH ADDITIONAL ATTENDEES PARTICIPATING IN SPEECH COACH OR FACILITATOR ROLES. WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN TRAININGS BEING OFFERED ON A GLOBAL LEVEL FOR OUR INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM MEMBERS, AS WELL AS TRAINING DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO ENGAGE JOBS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. EVERY BEST BUDDIES STATE OFFICE WORKS TO SUPPORT RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING EFFORTS FOR THE STATE AMBASSADORS PROGRAM, INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR CHAPTERS, COMMUNITIES, AND STATES TO SHARE THEIR STORIES AND BECOME MORE INVOLVED AND EMPOWERED CITIZENS. THE GLOBAL AMBASSADORS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO THRIVE THROUGH VIRTUAL CONNECTIONS AND SPEAKING OPPORTUNITIES, WITH 15 INDIVIDUALS SELECTED TO LEAD THE PROGRAM DURING THE 2021-2022 ACADEMIC YEAR. BEST BUDDIES PROMOTERSTHE BEST BUDDIES PROMOTERS PROGRAM CONTINUES TO SEE TREMENDOUS INTEREST, ESPECIALLY AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL, AS MORE SCHOOL COMMUNITIES ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND SOCIAL IMPACT OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS IN RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES. THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL MAKES UP OVER HALF OF THE CHAPTERS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM, WITH 270 OF THE 515 CHAPTERS HAPPENING IN THE K-6 SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT. THE ADDITION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS PROVIDES A DIRECT FEEDER INTO EXISTING MIDDLE SCHOOL CHAPTERS, WHICH BRIDGES A SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY GAP THAT OFTEN OCCURS WHEN STUDENTS TRANSITION INTO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL.TRANSITION SERVICES PROGRAMBEST BUDDIES PRE-EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION SERVICES (PRE-ETS) COMBINES CLASSROOM-BASED EMPLOYMENT TRAINING WORKSHOPS (VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON), EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, AND CORPORATE MENTORSHIP TO HELP STUDENTS IDENTIFY AND DEVELOP THEIR CAREER AMBITIONS AS THEY PREPARE TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE. DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS AGED 14-21, WORKSHOPS AND ACTIVITIES FOCUS ON SELF-ADVOCACY AND LEADERSHIP SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE WORKPLACE, EXPLORATION OF WORK INTERESTS AND RELEVANT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENGAGEMENT IN CRITICAL JOB READINESS SKILLS. TOGETHER, THESE EXPERIENCES WILL INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF LONG-TERM SUCCESSFUL EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE WITH IDD.IN 2021, BEST BUDDIES PROVIDED 769 WORKSHOPS TO 518 STUDENTS IN THE FOLLOWING MARKETS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES INCLUDING: ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, FLORIDA, ILLINOIS, MASSACHUSETTS, NEW JERSEY, NEW MEXICO, TEXAS, AND WISCONSIN. AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT, IT IS THE ORGANIZATION'S GOAL THAT YOUTH WITH IDD WILL HAVE GREATER AWARENESS OF AVAILABLE CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AND BE BETTER EQUIPPED TO FIND AND SECURE MEANINGFUL INTEGRATED, COMPETITIVE EMPLOYMENT IN A CONTRACTED, HIGHLY COMPETITIVE JOB MARKET.

BEST BUDDIES LIVINGTHE 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. BEST BUDDIES IS CURRENTLY OPERATING TWO LIVING RESIDENCES IN WASHINGTON, D.C., WITH AN ADDITIONAL PROGRAM LOCATION OPENING IN JANUARY 2022 IN MIAMI, FL. BEST BUDDIES LIVING HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AND THRIVE DESPITE THE HUGE CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY COVID AND THE EXPANSION TO GEORGETOWN WAS A BIG PART OF THE PATH TO WIDER GROWTH.RESIDENTS GROW AND CHANGE IMMENSELY AS PART OF THEIR CONNECTION TO THE MISSION OF BEST BUDDIES. LIVING AND LEARNING WITH THEIR PEERS IS A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THIS GROWTH. BY CREATING A MUTUALLY ENRICHING HOUSING MODEL, WE HAVE MADE THIS JOURNEY EVEN MORE MEANINGFUL BY CREATING A TRULY ONE-OF-A-KIND INCLUSIVE RESIDENTIAL EXPERIENCE FOR OUR BEST BUDDIES PARTICIPANTS.