ANNUAL REPORT Lauren Ausburn & Alexis Lorio Friendship Program Bryant High School BESTBUDDIES® Three Program Pillars
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2015 ANNUAL REPORT Lauren Ausburn & Alexis Lorio Friendship program Bryant High School BESTBUDDIES® Three Program Pillars: One-to-One Integrated Leadership Friendships Employment Development Jason Delconte & Matthew Barron Friendship program Clovercroft Elementary School Contents Message from Why We Mission Financial Our Leaders Meet Our Supporters Our Chairman Matter Vision Statement • Board of Directors • Corporations 1 2 3 Goals 29 • Where the 31 • Executive Team 33 • Individuals Dollar Goes • Foundations • Consolidated • Government Statement of • In-Kind Best Buddies Who We Are One-to-One Activities • Top Fundraising Teams Programs • Global Program Friendships • Balance Sheet 4 5 Snapshot 7 • Middle Schools, High • Milestones Schools, Colleges, Participating Our Global Citizens and e-Buddies® Employers Movement Integrated Leadership • Friendship Program 39 41 Participant Story - Ashley Employment Development Waltz & Lauren Cantrell 13 • Best Buddies Jobs 19 • Ambassadors and • Did You Know? Promoters Signature Event • Jobs Highlights • Leadership Highlights Jobs Program Development Program • 26 • National Events Participant Story - Participant Story - Cristen Maxwell Kellie Howard In 2015 our Jobs program also continued to grow at an Shelby Fontanilla & Alex Tyua aggressive pace with the addition of two new programs in Why We Matter Friendship program participants Maui High School the U.S. (Broward County, Florida and Nashville, Tennessee), Over the past 50 years, people with intellectual and one in Scandinavia (Oslo, Norway), and secured funding for developmental disabilities (IDD) have gained many rights one in Latin America (Santiago, Chile) to open in 2016. Our that have improved their lives. Yet, our society is still far U.S. programs continued to develop jobs for individuals from inclusive. Tragically, a great number of people within with IDD at some of the nation’s leading corporations the IDD community are stereotyped, marginalized and live including the Central Park Conservancy, IMC Financial life as an invisible minority, often times unemployed and Markets, and the National Basketball Association. In 2015, without the simple joys of genuine friendships that others may take for granted. As one study notes, “Legal mandates the Best Buddies Jobs program had a total of 755 employed cannot, however, mandate acceptance by peers, neighbors, participants. fellow employees, employers or any of the other groups In May, on the heels of winning Super Bowl XLIX, Tom of individuals who directly impact the lives of people with Brady along with thousands of Best Buddies supporters disabilities."* NH[OLYLKMVYV\YÅHNZOPWL]LU[¶;OLTom Brady Football This is where Best Buddies International comes into play. Challenge and the Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port. Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization dedicated With the help of Hublot, Pepsi-Cola Company and a host to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of of other generous sponsors and fundraisers, the event the 200 million people with IDD. For individuals within this was the largest and most successful in the history of the community, Best Buddies serves as a lifeline to creating Anthony Kennedy Shriver organization, generating over $5 million. life-long friendships, securing successful jobs, living Best Buddies 25th Anniversary Reception at Georgetown independently and feeling valued and respected by society. University In September, Best Buddies supporter Steve Hearst opened the renowned Hearst Ranch and Castle for the Currently, an estimated 84% of adults (18+) with developmental Best Buddies Challenge: Hearst Castle. In total, the event disabilities do not have a paid job in the community. The Best Buddies Jobs program has participants employed full-time raised over $4.5 million for the organization. On November Message from Our Chairman who each have the potential to earn a total income upwards 20, the Best Buddies Challenge: Miami took to the streets of $1 million over 30 years and contribute $250,000 in taxes Dear Friends, in a Tour de France style peloton, led by pro-cyclists. Later back into the economy, rather than costing the government that evening, cyclists joined nearly 900 other guests at Ice Best Buddies had an amazing year in 2015, impacting nearly one million approximately $750,000 each in Federal SSI and Medicaid Palace Studios for the 19th annual Best Buddies Miami Gala. individuals with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities support during that time period. The event culminated with a performance by world famous (IDD) and supporting over 700 job placements around the world. We DJ and Best Buddies Global Ambassador Steve Aoki, and This is just one of many key examples of how Best Buddies hosted more than 2,200 participants at our annual student Leadership raised $2.5 million! is working to improve quality of life for individuals with IDD. Conference at Indiana University, including 105 Buddy Ambassadors , the Through the creation of meaningful, lasting one-to-one largest class ever. Our national events, including the Miami Gala and the On behalf of the nearly one million individuals whose friendships with peers without disabilities and the promotion Best Buddies Challenges, were our largest and most successful to date! lives are impacted by Best Buddies, thank you to all of of integrated employment opportunities, Best Buddies is Each year continues to be better than the one before, and a preview of our supporters, participants, volunteers, and staff and to changing the world one friendship, one job and one leader what will come next - new challenges, successes and friendships to last everyone who makes our mission possible. I am so happy at a time. a lifetime. that our buddies are not on this journey alone, and I look For more information, please visit www.bestbuddies.org. forward to another exciting year of friendship, integrated The Best Buddies Friendship Walk continues to develop as our most employment and leadership development. *Teen Attitudes Toward Individuals with Mental Retardation, 2002 widespread event across the nation. In 2015 these events broke records as the largest walks in the history of Best Buddies. Walk leaders continued to work diligently to surpass their goals, and in 2015 they brought in more than In friendship, $3 million nationally - a 76% increase since 2014! The 26th annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference, presented by C.A. Hartnell, was the largest conference to date in Best Buddies Anthony Kennedy Shriver history. Nearly 2,200 students, leaders, volunteers and staff members, Founder & Chairman representing Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Germany, Hong Best Buddies International Kong, Macau, Mexico, Northern Ireland, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Spain, United Kingdom and the United States traveled to Indiana University in Bloomington to participate in the four-day conference, from July 17-20. In [OLWHZ[Ä]L`LHYZ^LOH]LZLLUHZ[LHK`PUJYLHZLPUWHY[PJPWHU[ZH[[OL conference with the attendance rate soaring 75% from 2011 to 2015. 1 | BESTBUDDIES.ORG BESTBUDDIES.ORG | 2 One-To-One Friendships Builds friendships between people with and without IDD, offering social mentoring while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion for a population that is often isolated and excluded. Best Buddies International 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 help people BESTBUDDIES® Middle Schools, e-BUDDIES® with IDD form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public High Schools and Colleges Offers an e-mail program, in which a participant with IDD speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills, and feel valued by society. Creates an inclusive school environment for students with communicates online with a friend without IDD. and without IDD during times of social and emotional development. Mission BESTBUDDIES® Citizens )LZ[ )\KKPLZ 0U[LYUH[PVUHS PZ H UVUWYVÄ[ J VYNHUPaH[PVU KLKPJH[LK [V LZ[HISPZOPUN H NSVIHS ]VS\U[LLY TV]LTLU[ [OH[ Helps adults with and without IDD develop meaningful creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with IDD. friendships and become more involved in their local communities. Vision To put Best Buddies out of business. Best Buddies envisions a world where people with IDD are so successfully integrated into schools, workplaces, and communities that its efforts and services will be unnecessary. Until that vision becomes a reality, the Integrated Employment organization will continue to educate middle school, high school and college students, community members, corporations, and Secures integrated employment for people with IDD, allowing them to earn an income, pay taxes, and continuously and employers about the emotional, functional, and natural needs and abilities of people with IDD. independently support themselves. Who We Serve BESTBUDDIES® Jobs The IDD community that Best Buddies serves includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, fragile X 4H[JOLZZRPSSLKX\HSPÄLKPUKP]PK\HSZ^P[O0++^P[OI\ZPULZZLZZLLRPUNLU[O\ZPHZ[PJHUKKLKPJH[LKLTWSV`LLZ;OYV\NO[OL1VIZ syndrome, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities. program, Best Buddies develops partnerships with employers, assists with the hiring process and provides ongoing support to the