Best Buddies Minnesota

Everyone deserves a friend and everyone should feel included in their community.

Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower people with IDD by helping them form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills, and feel valued by society.

At Best Buddies Minnesota, we believe that EVERYONE deserves to belong in our schools, our workplaces, our communities and our homes. Currently we impact more than 6,000 people annually with elementary school, middle school, high school, college and community-level friendship and leadership development programs. We depend on volunteers and supporters, like you, to move our mission forward and make inclusion a reality.

Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,400 college, high school and middle school campuses across the country and internationally. Best Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 United States. We have accredited international programs on six continents with additional country programs under active development. Our six formal programs – Best Buddies Citizens, Colleges, e-Buddies®, High Schools, Jobs and Middle Schools – will positively impact more than 400,000 individuals this year.