The Mission of Best Buddies International, which is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, 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).

The original Best Buddies chapter was found in 1987 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver at Georgetown University.

The vision of Best Buddies is to put themselves out of business. Best Buddies envisions a world where people with IDD are so successfully integrated into schools, workplaces and communities that its current efforts and services will be unnecessary. Until that vision becomes a reality, the organization will continue to educate middle school, high school and college students, community members, corporations and employers about the emotional, functional, and natural needs and abilities of people with IDD.

The Best Buddies program has three program pillars; one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Best Buddies created the 2020 Initiative in 2011, this initiative has a goal of opening offices in all 50 states by the end of 2020.  The initiative also includes plans to train 4,000 Buddy Ambassadors, develop 1,000 jobs for people with IDD around the world, and increase the number of school-based chapters to 2,500. As a result of these ambitious expansion efforts, Best Buddies hopes to become a household name by the end of 2020.

For more information about Best Buddies International go to https://bestbuddies.org/