Best Buddies International, a groundbreaking nonprofit founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver to establish 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 (IDD), is excited to announce the Best Buddies Friendship Walk: April 24th at The Corn Crib in Normal. The Best Buddies Friendship Walk: Central Illinois is the latest life-changing movement. Since 2009 more than 250,000 participants have walked in over 60 cities and raised more than $24 million for Best Buddies.

“The unprecedented challenges we faced together in 2020 has highlighted just how important our mission of inclusion is for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities – they need us now, more than ever,” said Anthony K. Shriver, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Best Buddies International. “This year we look forward to seeing our communities across the nation unite to celebrate inclusion and raise the critical funds needed to support people with IDD. I am beyond grateful that the important work of this organization will continue, thanks to our participants, volunteers, partners and the entire community. I am confident that together we will continue empowering people with special abilities, connecting advocates and mobilizing our supporters to create a more inclusive world.”

Best Buddies in Central Illinois is proud to have 125 (and counting) participants collecting their kazoos, vuvuzelas, and air horns, donning their snazziest masks, and working to help raise $75,000 for inclusion. Even though there may not be a physical walk, we will be getting together for an Inclusion Celebration to cheer on all of the hard work from around Central Illinois to keep inclusion alive! People from Danville to the Quad Cities, Lasalle-Peru to Carbondale will be joining us at the Corn Crib, in search of inclusion and a new normal! Registration takes place from 9-10am and the Inclusion Celebration takes place from 10a-11a in the South parking lot of the Corn Crib. We will be following state and CDC guidelines to provide a safe, inclusive atmosphere for all! The presentation will also be broadcast virtually for those who aren’t comfortable being in public yet. Following the Walk, please join Best Buddies for a day of allyship, family, wellness and friendship.

Proceeds from the Friendship Walk are fundamental in supporting state programs that provide one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development and inclusive living. These programs can be found in all 50 states and will create promising opportunities for more than 350,000 people this year.

Details are available at bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/centralillinois

There is also and opportunity to get decked out in Best Buddies gear from head to toe! Register your team, share Best Buddies mission with your friends and family, then ask them to donate to your page! For each incentive level you hit, you will have that prize mailed directly to your home within a week! Check out the gear below.

This year’s Best Buddies Friendship Walk in Central Illinois sponsors and corporate partners include: It’sMyCU, Millan-Petro McDonald’s, Cumulus Radio Bloomington, SAMI Apartments, Cell Phone Repair – Normal, and more.

For more info, email [email protected].

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 more than 3,000 elementary school, middle school, high school, and college Friendship and Promoter chapters worldwide. Today, Best Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 states and in 59 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