Founded in 1989, Best Buddies is an international nonprofit that creates one-to-one friendships between middle, high school and college students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), as well as adults with and without IDD. The organization also provides leadership development and creates integrated employment opportunities for people with IDD through their Best Buddies Jobs program. Best Buddies Wisconsin specifically pairs more than 2,500 Buddy pairs in 40 area schools, including Cedarburg’s Webster Transitional Middle School, Marquette University High School/Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Port Washington High School, Greendale High School, UW-Milwaukee, Marquette University and Carroll University, to name a few.
The organization as a whole impacts nearly 800,000 individuals with and without disabilities worldwide and volunteers annually contribute support services that equate to more than $168 million at no cost to their communities. Best Buddies continues to grow with the hope of opening offices in all 50 states, expanding into 100 countries and impacting 3 million people with and without IDD worldwide by the end of 2020.
To learn more about becoming a Best Buddies Wisconsin participant or volunteer, visit bestbuddieswisconsin.org, email info@bestbuddies.org or call 414-271-1470. In addition, the nonprofit is always seeking sponsorships; for more information on sponsoring Best Buddies Wisconsin, email Theresa Nemetz, state director, at theresanemetz@bestbuddies.org.
