HOUSTON – Best Buddies was founded 32 years ago by Anthony Kennedy Shriver after noticing the unjustified lack of opportunities for people with Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (IDD) to socialize with nondisabled peers.
It’s the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical, and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The Best Buddies program empowers people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by helping them form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, develop self-advocacy communication skills, and feel valued by society.
With the founding pillar being based upon friendship, the Best Buddies program hopes that people can build friendships that last a lifetime.
Best Buddies is a global organization located in 47 countries and all 50 states here in the U.S. In Texas, they have offices in Houston, Dallas, and Austin.
They are hosting their Friendship Walk this Saturday, May 6th at the University of Houston at Lynn Eusan Park, starting at 8am! It’s free and open to the public.
The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the leading walk in the country supporting inclusion for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Together, they are making the world more welcoming to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities one friendship, job, and life-changing connection at a time.
Global Ambassador Jack Kruger, Ambassador Veronica Rodriguez, and Area Director Julie Garza joined Derrick Shore in-studio to talk about the Best Buddies organization and Friendship Walk. You can watch the video above for more information.
To donate towards the Friendship Walk, and for more information, click here.
For more information regarding Best Buddies, you can visit their website.