CELEBRATE INCLUSION
Gala FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2021 INTERCONTINENTAL HOTEL | SAN FRANCISCO
Welcome Dear Friends of Best Buddies, I’m certain everyone shares in my enthusiasm to return to an “in-person” event this year. The San Francisco Intercontinental is the perfect venue to celebrate our Champion of the year candidates and crown our 2021 Champion. As we gather tonight and look toward a brighter 2022, moving this volunteer movement forward has never been more important. Last year, our Best Buddies Jobs program was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We saw many participants in our program lose their jobs permanently, temporarily, and many placed on temporary leave with or without pay. We worked hard to bring together our participants, so they felt a sense of inclusion even though we were all physically isolated. We did this through weekly hangouts hosted by our Director of Jobs, Chanel Brisbane. Participants from our jobs program in all 6 regions of California were in attendance. Unfortunately, many of our participants in the Bay Area are still anxiously awaiting their return-to-work date. Many of these individuals have not been on their employer's worksite since March of 2020. We are hoping for all participants to return in 2022. In San Francisco this past year, we have met our goal of supporting 15 individuals with IDD secure jobs that fit their skillsets and interests. Our goal for 2022 is to support 17 more individuals in finding their dream jobs. The money raised here tonight will help us achieve that goal! Our Friendship program serves 49 chapters, has 50 trained Ambassadors, 12 Citizen matches, and impacts over 1,200 people in the Bay Area. Best Buddies friendship program serves 49 chapters, has 50 trained Ambassadors, 12 Citizen matches, and impacts over 1200 people in the Bay Area by giving individuals with and without IDD the opportunity to create meaningful and long-lasting friendships and feel included in their community. The event tonight will help achieve our 2021 goals to open 10 new school chapters, train 10 Ambassadors, and create 5 more Citizens matches. Thanks to all of you for attending and providing the financial and emotional support that helps create opportunities for oneto-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I would like to specifically thank our sponsors, including our Presenting Sponsor CSAA Insurance Group, my fellow advisory board members, and Best Buddies staff who have helped make this event a success. To our Champions and Campaign Managers, your dedication to the mission, enthusiasm for the event, and willingness to help others is very much appreciated. Have a great evening and join me in promoting the Best Buddies mission! In Friendship,
Rob Shilling
Rob Shilling Bay Area Auxiliary Board Chair
Bay Area College Chapters
Middle School Chapters
Jobs
San Jose State University Santa Clara University University of San Francisco San Jose State University University of California, Berkeley
Albany Middle School Hall Middle School Mission Hills Middle School Price Middle School Windsor Middle School
High School Chapters
Elementary School Chapters
Albany High School Berkeley High School Branham High School California High School Christopher High School Cupertino High School De Anza High School Del Mar High School Dougherty Valley High School Dublin High School Evergreen Valley High School Fremont Christian High School Galileo Academy Gunn High School Heritage High School Hillsdale High School Leigh High School Los Altos High School Lowell High School Marin Academy Mission San Jose High School Montgomery High School Northgate High School Palo Alto High School Pioneer San Jose High School Prospect High School Salinas High School Santa Clara High School Santa Rosa High School Sequoia High School The Branson School Valley Christian High School Westmont High School Wilcox High School Willow Glen High School Windsor High School Woodside High School
Foster City Elementary School Ortega Elementary School Thousand Oaks Elementary School
Accenture Avid Bay Area Community Health Bon Appétit at Google Cheesecake Factory Chili's City of South San Francisco- Siebecker Center Civic Edge Consulting Cushman and Wakefield Department of Rehabilitation Menlo Park Devil Mountain Nursery Enjoy Flagship at Facebook Flik @ Merck Genentech Golden State Warriors Goodwill-Greater East Bay JLL@Google Levy @ Levi's Stadium Mod Pizza Natixis Investment Managers Nike Oakland Athletics Pacific Workers' Compensation Law Center Palo Alto Center Urgent Care Presidio Golf Course Safeway SBM Silicon Valley Bank Special Olympics Northern California Support for Families of Children with Disabilities The Bay Club Trader Joe's UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland Whiting Turner Whole Foods Xactly Corporation
About COVID-19 Many people with IDD have been profoundly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Cut off from school or community relationships, they can be particularly vulnerable to the emotional and logistical difficulties of social isolation. People will IDD are overlooked during times of public emergency, as they are often not in a position to advocate for themselves. Best Buddies is rapidly adapting to ensure that supportive friendships and opportunities remain available. Using digital platforms such as Zoom, FaceTime, and other social media outlets, we're implementing virtual events to prove that social distancing doesn't mean social isolation. None of this would be possible without the help and financial support of people like you.
About Champion of the Year Champion of the Year unities the community's most active leaders in the name of inclusion. Through 10 weeks of raising funds and awareness for Best Buddies, our Champions will generate countless opportunities for friendship, jobs, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The dollars raised through the Champion of the Year campaign will immediately be put to work through the launch of new friendships and employment opportunities. This is an enormous gift to children, teens, and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, their families, and the community as a whole. Best Buddies’ friendship, jobs, and leadership programs now impact over 1,000 people in the Bay Area - this movement could not happen without the support from people like you and me. So please know that when you give, it makes a huge difference.
Live Auction Items #201 Napa Valley Getaway: 1-Night Stay at the Napa Valley Marriott Hotel & Spa for either a 1 King Bed Guest Room or 2 Double Bed Guest Room (winner's choice). Wine Tasting at AXR Napa Valley includes an exclusive tour and wine tasting for 4 guests at the historic beautiful AXR Napa Valley located in the beautiful and scenic Saint Helena, CA. Wine Tasting at J Vineyards & Winery includes a VIP Legacy tasting + cheese plate for 4 guests at J Vineyards & Winery in Healdsburg, CA.
#202 Day on the Bay Sailing Adventure: A Sailing Adventure on The San Francisco Bay! Enjoy a day on the Bay for 8 guests aboard a 50-foot Grand Soleil Sloop. The cruise will take you under the Golden Gate Bridge, past Alcatraz & the SF City waterfront, by Ghirardelli Square & Pier 39 as well as number of other beautiful sights and city landmarks. Appetizers and drinks are included. Plan for a full day and be prepared to hoist a few sails.Winner with contact Captain to coordinate the optimal sailing day sometime during the spring and summer months.
#203 A Getaway Sailing Around Saint Lucia: How does a week sailing around Saint Lucia, an island country in the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean, sound? Spend a week sailing on Captain Henry's Jeanneau 39i, a fast blue water sloop moored in Rodney Bay Marina (Gros Islet) on the northern end of the island St. Lucia. The boat has 3 berths so it can accommodate 4 guests plus Captain Henry his First Mate. Guests do not need to know anything about sailing. Captain Henry and his First Mate will take care of everything.
#204 Private Suite for San Jose Sharks Hockey Game at the SAP Center: Host your group of up to 21 guests in a private suite at the SAP Center during a San Jose Sharks Hockey Game! This exclusive suite is perfect for business or pleasure. The suite includes 4 VIP parking passes, personal TVs and couches, and the option to purchase food and beverage (F&B not included in-suite - can order in advance). The winner has a choice of dates between December 28, 2021, or January 17, 2022.
#205 Lake Tahoe Getaway: Escape to this beautiful Alpine Meadows Condo in Lake Tahoe, CA. This loft-style condo has 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, sleeps 5 guests, provides access to all of Lake Tahoe's beauty, and is the perfect spot to launch a ride with friends. The winner has a choice of a 2-night weekend stay or 4 nights during the week.
#206 San Francisco Sports Fan Dream Package: San Francisco 49ers VIP Gameday Experience includes 2x tickets and 1x parking pass to a mutually agreed upon the game at Levi’s® Stadium during the 2021 Regular Season. The package also includes a San Francisco 49ers Signed Package, San Francisco Giants Package, and San Francisco Warriors Signed Package.
#207 Serene Lakes Getaway: A 3 night getaway to Alpenglow Lake House at Serene Lakes near Donner Summit. Our 3 bedroom, 2 bath, knotty pine cabin sleeps 6 adults + 3-4 kids and can be used during the winter, summer or fall months! Cleaning included!
The Value of Your Donation Supports Best Buddies helps form meaningful friendships, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy, and communication skills, all while feeling valued by society. $10,000 Pre-Employment Transition Services: Help prepare 10 high school students for the workforce. Our Pre Employment Transition Services build a foundation for students to begin their job search by walking them through job discovery, building a professional portfolio, and essential job readiness skills.
$7,500 More Than A Job: Underwrite the employment support that Best Buddies Jobs provides a person with IDD, allowing them to find a job, become financially independent, receive benefits and work alongside others in the community.
$5,000 Gift of Friendship: Bring Together people with and without IDD for friendships that cultivate community-wide social inclusion, by funding a new school, citizens, or corporate chapter in the Best Buddies Friendship program.
$2,500 Training Day: Fund an all-day Ambassadors training session for up to 50 people with and without IDD, where attendees will gain the public speaking skills and confidence needed to champion inclusion throughout their community.
$1,000 Prepare Future Advocates: Give a student leader, Ambassador, or Jobs participant the opportunity to attend the annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference, where they will learn to be advocates for themselves and the larger IDD community.
$250 It's A Match! Support a one-to-one friendship between someone and their peer, helping to build a mutually enriching connection that enhances the lives of program participants and their families.
$100 You've Got Mail! Fund an online e-Buddies friendship between a person with and a person without IDD. The e-pal program allows participants to become more social and technology literate, which may lead to more advanced career opportunities.
Champion Candidates
Haley Bridges
My work with Best Buddies stems from my passion to support individuals with disabilities. In 2016, I started the PossAbilities program with Bon Appetit and soon thereafter, Best Buddies became one of our greatest partners for the program. Through this partnership, we are able to hire individuals with disabilities and give them an opportunity to start their careers. Everyone deserves the opportunity to find their place in the world and I am thrilled that we are able to provide those opportunities to the participants of Best Buddies.
For the past 9 years, I’ve witnessed the incredible force that is Best Buddies. I am now a system engineer at Roche and want to spread awareness and inclusion in the workplace as well as in my personal life. I’ve learned firsthand how powerful we are when we celebrate our communities with unique capabilities - which includes our friends with IDD. Best Buddies gives everyone a place where they can be their authentic selves. And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life showing the world how much they have to offer us and how worthy they are of our love."
Dave Dalton
"I’m honored to be nominated as Champion of the Year since inclusion is such a big part of my daily life. My brother-in-law has IDD so Best Buddies mission is near and dear to my heart. I first got involved in Best Buddies through the Best Buddies Ride Challenge in 2010. In 2014, I started a Cycling Club with the foundation of inclusion like the mission of Best Buddies. Every rider is welcome, we take care of each other, and nobody gets left behind. My goal is to raise funds for Best Buddies programs and most importantly spread awareness of inclusion in our communities."
"I currently work at CSAA Insurance Group and one of the newest San Francisco Advisory Board members. I am involved in Best Buddies because I believe that diversity and inclusion as well as feeling a part of a community is important for everyone, perhaps even more so for those with intellectual disabilities. The work Best Buddies does to support these individuals in our communities is noble and lifechanging for all participants. To have the opportunity to make a difference for someone else and to give back to our community is my why."
Patty Hsu
Leilani Camara
Linda Goldstein
I am honored and blessed to be a champion for Best Buddies this year. I am passionate about making an impact on the lives of people with and without IDD and spreading awareness about Best Buddies. I'm a dedicated advocate in promoting Best Buddies programs and opportunities to the Accenture community and beyond. I am especially excited about the fundraising events that I have planned as part of my campaign and getting to meet the Best Buddies community in San Francisco. I can't wait to share more about my fun events!
Champion Candidates "I am honored to have been nominated as Champion of the Year and to represent Seyfarth Shaw. I have been involved with Best Buddies since 2004 raising awareness for a more inclusive world where we embrace our different abilities through the Northern California Advisory Board, the Friendship Walk, Game Changers, and Champion of the Year committees throughout the years making long-lasting friendships along the way. " Edgar Osorio
I have come full circle with Best Buddies. I was involved during my 4 years at the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign and now again as an adult and champion candidate. Before becoming a lawyer, I wanted to work with people with IDD. I am a champion for people with IDD that want greater mobility and independence to live a full life. I have seen the positive differences Best Buddies makes in the participants lives as well as my own. I love the social aspect of Best Buddies, and I am excited to meet new people and create new and lasting friendships.
Lauren Ruhstofer
"I’ve been involved with the Best Buddies jobs program for over 6 years and have seen firsthand how impactful the Best Buddies jobs program can be for individuals with IDD. I am honored to be nominated for a 2nd year in a row as a champion candidate! I’m so proud of my campaign manager and colleague from Xactly Cooperation, Ryan Sheu, who helped me raise over 13k last year. We are in it to WIN IT this year!"
"I recently became involved with Best Buddies during the hiring and onboarding process of one of our Best Buddies Jobs program participants earlier this year. Best Buddies is important to me because 50 years of my life I've watched, cared for, helped, and most importantly loved and supported my family members that have IDD. It is our opportunity to show IDD that they can overcome their challenges in life, their insecurities in life and be a part of a strong community. Best Buddies allows IDD to be a part of our society and a part of us.
Roberta Zarea
Kim Owens
Pat Thompson
My daughter Nassreen Zarea loves Best Buddies! She participated in the Best Buddies Friendship Program at Branham High School, where she made some of the only friends she had in high school. Now Nassreen is participating in the Integrated Employment program to realize her lifelong dream to work in a school, daycare, or hospital. Through raising funds and awareness for Champion, Best Buddies will generate countless opportunities for my daughter Nassreen, and for other people with IDD.
Campaign Managers
John Hammond
Wesley Lam
Garrett Ledbetter
Aaron Silverman
Larry Larkin
Nona Miloslavsky
Ryan Sheu
Joshua Warit
Natalie Spring
Nassreen Zarea
San Francisco Advisory Board Thank you for your commitment and helping our programs grow all year long! Rob Shilling, Board Chair
Brian Amador
General Manager
General Manager
Outfront Media
Club Sport
Tessie Amador
Bruce Benham
Souring Lead
Managing Director
Gas Operations, PG&E
Global Client Director, Accenture
Sarah Coyne
John Deruiter
Vice President
Construction Consultant
Value Act Capital
Linda Goldstein
John Hammond
EVP, Customer Experience & Marketing
Outreach Ambassador
CSAA Insurance Group, a AAA Insurer
Civic Edge Consulting
Thank You To Our Sponsors Presenting Sponsor
Platinum Sponsor
Gold Sponsor
Silver Sponsor
Photography by Mike Rosati
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