The mission of Best Buddies is to enhance the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment.
Best Buddies International is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver. There are currently 31 middle school chapters, 405 high school chapters, 316 college chapters, 245 citizen matches, 113 job placements, and 1150 e-Buddies matches in 36 states, as well as Ireland, Canada, Egypt, and Greece. There are currently 7.5 million Americans with intellectual disabilities and 250 million people worldwide. Best Buddies was founded to educate citizens all around the world about people with intellectual disabilities, and we envision a world where a program like Best Buddies will no longer be needed because of the successful integration of intellectually disabled people into our society. For more information on Best Buddies, please visit www.bestbuddies.org.