The mission of Best Buddies is to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Best Buddies’ goals are to provide socialization, leadership development and employment opportunities for people with IDD while increasing public awareness for inclusion of people with disabilities in society.

Best Buddies Tampa Bay is a regional affiliate of Best Buddies International. Since its inception in 1993, Best Buddies Tampa Bay carries out the mission by organizing and overseeing school-based chapters of Best Buddies in seven middle schools, 15 high schools, and two college campuses across Tampa Bay. Best Buddies Tampa Bay will provide inclusion opportunities for over 1,470 students with and without IDD by providing on-campus and off-campus activities that promote socialization with their typical peers. As a result of their involvement with Best Buddies, people with IDD make lifelong friendships, go on to secure rewarding jobs, live on their own, and become inspirational leaders in their community. Best Buddies programs help people with IDD become more fully integrated in mainstream society.

The Yob Family Foundation recently supported a walk team to attend their annual Best Buddies Friendship Walk in April.

To learn more about Best Buddies, please visit www.BestBuddies.org or www.BestBuddiesFlorida.org