Mission
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, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Who We Serve
The IDD community that Best Buddies serves includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities.
Programs
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 the special abilities of 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.
Best Buddies Champion of the Year unites and recognizes the community’s most active leaders in the name of inclusion. By devoting their passion, talents, and networks to Best Buddies through a philanthropic competition, our Champions lay the foundation for transformative change in their communities.
As an Olympic athlete, Carl Lewis was part of five American Olympic Teams, winning 10 medals, nine of them gold. With unsurpassed talent in the long jump and his speed in the sprints, he has gone places where no other track and field athlete has ever visited. His five Olympic appearances are a record for a male athlete, and many of his Olympic performances were in world or Olympic record time. His impressive track and field performances earned him the title of “Athlete of the Century”
His 65 consecutive victories in the long jump achieved over a span of 10 years is one of the sport’s longest undefeated streaks. Over the course of his athletics career, Carl set world records in the 100 m, 4 × 100 m and 4 × 200 m relays, while his world record in the indoor long jump has stood since 1984.
His accomplishments have led to numerous accolades, including being voted “World Athlete of the Century” by the International Association of Athletics Federations and “Sportsman of the Century” by the International Olympic Committee, “Olympian of the Century” by Sports Illustrated and “Athlete of the Year” by Track & Field News in 1982, 1983, and 1984.