You’re making a difference.
Message From Our State Director
Dear Friends,
On behalf of Best Buddies in New York, thank you for an incredible 2025. We are deeply grateful to our participants, families, volunteers, donors, and corporate partners across New York State whose dedication helps our mission thrive. Your support allows us to expand our programs and build more inclusive communities in every corner of our state.
Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful holiday season. Here’s to continued growth and impact in 2026!
In
Friendship,
Sophie Shah State Director, New York
Here’s what we’ve accomplished, Because of your support in 2025
105 30 Cities |
194
Total Chapters
47 Elementary Schools
34 Middle Schools
89 High Schools 24 Colleges 1,133 Citizens Participants 176 e-Buddies
7,500 Total Participants
750,000 Impacted Counties
One-to-one
Friendships
Meet Faith and Emma
Faith and Emma were matched in 2025 and have been matched for about a year. They enjoy spending time together at monthly events and on their own time. Emma mentioned that they love filling each other in on life updates and they most recently attended the Citizens Holiday party together!
Meet Charlotte
My favorite thing about working at Asphalt Green is that I love talking to people. I am so proud of myself and grateful for Best Buddies!”
Leadership Development Program
239
Ambassadors Participants in 2025
17
Ambassador Trainings in 2025
138 Participants served in 2025
15+ Corporate Partnerships
Transitions Program
Transitions In Action
Our Transitions students are achieving exciting milestones through hands-on career exploration at Kettle Ridge Farm. During a job tour, they learned tasks like labeling maple syrup, packaging granola, and preparing orders for shipment. Building on this experience, one student has now begun an internship at the farm, gaining valuable skills and confidence for future employment!
Best Buddies Living is more than just a place to live. It’s a community filled with wonderful people who have become my family."
-AnnCatherine
Family Support Program
1
Eunie’s Buddies Program
Rochester, NY
Eunie’s BUDDIES
Connects families who are expecting or have a young child with IDD to experienced parents of a child with IDD, encouraging a genuine relationship rooted in mentorship, resourcesharing, and guidance.
Meet Camille
A program like Eunie’s Buddies can be a lifeline for parents of children with IDD, offering a space to be vulnerable and connect with another parent who truly understands and welcomes you with open arms.”
-Camille
Best Buddies Friendship Balls
Best Buddies hosted more than 925 students with and without IDD throughout 2025 at our unforgettable Friendship Balls. We hosted 9 events filled with music, dancing, and friendship!
Spread the Word: Inclusion is an ongoing movement to end the hurtful and demeaning use of the word R-Word. Chapters all throughout New York held a Spread the Word to End the Word awareness event at their respective schools. Our Best Buddies participants raised the consciousness of their classmates about the dehumanizing effects of using the R-Word and encouraged people to stop using the word.
Raised $320,000
Nearly 2,500 participants, corporate partners and community members walked for inclusion across 6 Friendship Walks in New York! Albany | Buffalo | Hudson Valley | Long Island NYC | Rochester
In July, nearly 130 leaders from all over New York, both with and without IDD, attended our 34th Annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference. They participated in personalized trainings that develop the skills needed to organize and lead a Best Buddies chapter!
Nearly 500 supporters came together for our annual Galas in celebration of the collective efforts of our Rochester and Albany Champions who raised funds and awareness to support our mission! Raised $145,000
Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them - a desire, a dream, a vision.” -Mahatma Gandhi
Raised $140,000
More than 250 guests attended the inaugural Evening of Opportunity Gala in NYC, celebrating our ongoing efforts to expand programming across metro-NY!
Raised $85,000
Best Buddies in New York partnered with 16 committed runners through the TCS NYC Marathon, each of whom rain 26.2 miles and raised crucial funds to support local programming!
Raised $2.3M
Nearly 800 riders, walkers, and participants joined Best Buddies for our inaugural Best Buddies Challenge: New York, presented by Jersey Mike’s and Wells Fargo, on October 4, raising a whopping $2.3M.
“Inclusionmeans celebratingand embracing everyoneno matterwhat.”
We couldn’t have done it without you.
THANK YOU!
