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Best Buddies International
Best Buddies is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment. Best Buddies was founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver. Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,000 middle schools, high schools, and college campuses across the country and internationally. Today the Best Buddies programs reach all 50 of the United States, and have active international programs in Australia, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Ghana, Hong Kong, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, the Philippines and Sweden. There are also additional programs under development in Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom. For the first time, Best Buddies is actually serving 50,000 volunteers in one year.
Future Plans for Best Buddies
Best Buddies also has big plans for the future. Specifically, by 2010, Best Buddies will continue to build on our program base in all 50 states, establish programs in 50 countries and have 500,000 participants worldwide.
Specifically, by 2010, Best Buddies will: