Happy Best Buddies Month!!! And “Hi!”, it’s Ryan, your best buddy! Best Buddies Month, aka disabilities awareness month, celebrates the amazing people in our lives with intellectual and developmental disabilities!
My favorite thing to do is spread Best Buddies mission of inclusion. Basically, we help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities with opportunities to enjoy their lives in our community! We do this through peer-to-peer friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development.
Want to make the world a better place? Here are some ways you can support Best Buddies in Central Illinois and help people with disabilities thrive!!!
- Sign up for the Best Buddies Friendship Walk with TerraForm Power, on behalf of the California Ridge Wind Farm and CEFCU.
On May 4th, join us at the Corn Crib in Normal for this FREE, inclusive event! Don’t miss out on the mission and activities tent, awesome food from Bay Area Mexicana food truck and Nothing Bundt Cakes, sing karaoke, play in the That Kid Place mobile (accessible) museum, and join Central Illinois for the biggest walk (and celebration) for inclusion!
Start your Friendship Walk Team and get your friends and family to join! Then, help raise awareness and funds for Best Buddies and get all the gear.
You can always show up in your favorite StarWars gear too. May the 4th… be with you!
- Get the Berry Blast Lemonade at Leaves ‘n Beans – Peoria Heights
All month long, stop by Leaves ‘N Beans in Peoria and grab a Berry Blast Lemonade. $1 from every order will support friendships, jobs, and leadership development for people with disabilities in Central Illinois. Put a little pep in your step with this inclusive treat for yourself. - Leave a donation at Ivy Lane Bakery in Bloomington
Need an epic cinnamon roll in your life? Then grab all of them at Ivy Lane Bakery in Bloomington. And feel free to leave a donation in the jar at the counter. All donations for the month of march will support Best Buddies mission of inclusion!
ABOUT BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL:
Best Buddies® 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 people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant organization that has grown from one original chapter to nearly 3,000 elementary school, middle school, high school, and college Friendship and Promoter chapters worldwide. Today, Best Buddies’ nine formal programs — Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, e-Buddies®, Jobs, Ambassadors, Promoters and Inclusive Living— engage participants in each of the 50 states and in 56 countries and territories, positively impacting the lives of over 1.3 million people with and without disabilities around the world. In many cases, as a result of their involvement with Best Buddies, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities secure rewarding jobs, live independently, become inspirational leaders and build lifelong friendships. For more information, please visit www.bestbuddies.org or connect with us via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
