Dear Friends and Fa Welcome to Chicago Celebration! Tonight we gather to honor f who make our missi
Each year, this even meets action Our C into raising awarene developmental disab and the life-changin
Over the past year, o Best Buddies Jobs P and purpose in work development sessio And as the world con
Here in Chicago, we school started, we made As for our a currently have 268 p Buddies doesn’t sto launched Ambassad we have 94 particip people employed at
These numbers tell a story, but the real impact is in the smiles, the confidence, and the friendships formed through this incredible movement Every handshake, every shared laugh, every moment of encouragement builds a more inclusive world, one person at a time.
Tonight’s celebration would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors Ulta Beauty, Aetna Better Health of Illinois, SC Johnson, Moco, Area Wide Realty, Misericordia, Waymo, and Shaker and the dedication of our Advisory Board, Campaign Managers, Champions, and Best Buddies staff Thank you for your time, your compassion, and your belief in what’s possible.
To our friends and families: your presence here means the world. You remind us that inclusion is not just a goal; it is a community effort built on love, friendship, and hope.
Enjoy tonight’s celebration. We are so grateful you’re here to share in the joy, and we can’t wait to see how your support helps us reach even greater heights in 2026
With heartfelt gratitude and friendship, Michelle Kurgan
Mission
Best Buddies International 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, inclusive living, and family support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
Who we serve
Best Buddies serves individuals with IDD and their families. The IDD community includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, and other undiagnosed disabilities.
Programs
Best Buddies programs sit on the five key mission pillars below:
One-to-One Friendships
Integrated Employment
Leadership Development
Inclusive Living
Family Support
About Champion of the Year
Champion of the Year unites 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 5,000 people in Illinois - 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.
BidfromtheHeart
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
$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
Kristi Abplanalp
Champion Candidates
Kristi is a Chicago-native, sadly an enduring Chicago sports fan��, and proud Aunt to 3 nieces and a nephew. Kristi is a Managing Director at Accenture, where she reconnected with Best Buddies after participating as a Buddy during school. In her spare time, Kristi loves to travel, be outdoors, and spend time with family and friends – especially the kiddos!
After raising three boys and three Labradors in Connecticut with her husband Bob, Kim recently returned to Illinois, where she grew up, and continued her commercial and residential architectural-design practice. With her passion and experience in supporting special education, she became more involved with Best Buddies, where her son Kyle has thrived. Kim’s hobbies include practicing yoga, exercising, and spending time with cherished family & friends
JourdanBlack
Jourdan’s connection to the IDD community began at age five with her friend Katrina, who she spent every day with instead of recess. She later founded her high school’s Raiders for Autism club and joined Best Buddies in 2024, where she was matched with her friend Dana. Originally from Fort Lauderdale, Jourdan has lived in North Carolina, Mississippi, and Arkansas before settling in Evanston with her husband, Colton, and their cat, Crosby. She is a former sports anchor, avid reader, and new needlepointer.
Holly is a teacher at Woodstock North where she has served as a Best Buddies Advisor for over 10 years What an incredible impact she has made! Holly not only moulds young minds in the classroom, but she is also a mother! Holly and her family live in Wisconsin and they love to spend their time outdoors and camping!
KenFronJr.
Ken has spent his life learning the lessons of teamwork, inclusion, and belonging through the world of sports, both as a player and as a coach. He says that that is what Best Buddies represents to him- giving everyone a chance for the same sense of connection and opportunity. Inclusion isn’t just nice to have, its the foundation that allows people to shine. We couldn’t agree more Ken!
Amy has been a part of Best Buddies in some way for over 10 years now! She is currently the Deputy Director of the E-buddies program and would be happy to get you involved! Amy has had a number of friendships through Best Buddies, Katrina in High School, Victoria in College, and now Jack, in Citizens These people and their friendships shaped Amy into the woman she is today, and are the reason why she is a Champion for Inclusion!
Holly Ehlenburg
KimAgeloff
AmyLenenfeld
Champion Candidates
Suzanne’s journey with Best Buddies began last year when she volunteered at the Champion of the Year Gala! She was inspired by the experience and joined Citizens, where she was matched with Nichelle in April. But her connection to the mission did not start there. Suzanne has a brother-in-law who has Down Syndrome which has led her to being involved with other orgs back at home as well. While she is originally from Columbus, Ohio, she has been in Chicago for a little over four years now and lives in the West Loop. She works at CitiBank but enjoys new restaurants, playing pickleball, and spoiling her French Bulldog, Bug, when she’s off the clock!
Sarah Nau is the Director of Labor Relations supporting Flight Operations (Pilots)for United Airlines She currently lives just outside Chicago in Riverside with her husband, son, and two Great Danes.
Madison was meant for the red carpet! She graduated from the University of Utah and now works at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Madison believes that inclusion gives every voice the chance to be heard. And we couldn’t agree more! Inclusion runs in the family! Madison’s sister serves on the Advisory Board, and her mom and brother ran for Champion of the Year just last year What a family legacy!
Jada Tompson is a Best Buddies Global Ambassador, advocate for inclusion, and creative storyteller, and is matched with her friend Annie through the Citizens Program. She is also a board member of Chicagoland Autism Connection. As a content creator and advocate, Jada is dedicated to spreading the mission of inclusion and empowering individuals with and without disabilities to thrive and succeed in their communities
Christine Turner is a dedicated special education leader with over 15 years of experience supporting students with diverse needs across public and private settings She currently works at Ray Graham Training Center in Chicago, where she leads transition initiatives and partnerships, including a successful collaboration with Best Buddies that has improved employment outcomes for students. Christine also teaches sensory-friendly aerial fitness classes and is pursuing her Ph.D. in Special Education at the University of Illinois Chicago. She is passionate about equity, inclusion, and empowering young adults to thrive beyond the classroom.
Madison Olszewski
ChristineTurner
JadaThompson
Sarah Nau
SuzanneLombardi
Campaign Managers
Zoe Koulos
Danielle Bonfield
Nicole Marty
Morgan Olszewski
Nichelle Noble Dana Wax
Ali Yancey
Michelle Kurgan
Abby Gustafson
Kathy Barcal
Thank you to our Advisory Board and Committee Members
helping our programs grow all year long!
Michelle Kurgan, Chair
Farmer’s Fridge
Morgan Olszewski, Former Chair
AIKANA Chicago
Danielle Bonfield, Gala Auction Co-Chair
CrossCountry Mortgage
Nicole Marty, Gala Auction Co-Chair
Kate Abbatacola Affirm
Allie Churchfield
AbbVie
Elizabeth Fay
Lizzy Fay LLC
Sarah Nau
United Airlines
Dana Wax
Best Buddies
Kim Ageloff
Rushil Desai
Aetna Better Health of Illinois
Greg Macias AbbVie
Charles Scharf
Kelso-Burnett Co.
Molly Wiesman
The Kelsey
Thank You To Our Sponsors
Thank You To Our In-Kind Sponsors
Area Wide Realty and MOCO are proud sponsors of tonight's Best Buddies in Illinois Champion of the Year Gala!
Area Wide Realty and MOCO prioritize cultivating and developing a workplace that reflects inclusivity, development and growth of this charity!
Our foundation is strengthened on the premise of harnessing our differences to create an inclusive and progressive environment in which everyone feels valued. When our talents are being fully utilized is when our organization’s goals are met - but only achievable when everyone plays their fullest part.
Thank you to our Circle of Champions and all that they have done to advance the Best Buddies in Illinois since 2016!
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How to participate in the Silent Disco!
Grab the headphones at your seat and join us for an inclusive party! You can pick your station, pick your volume, and have fun! Controls can be found on either side of the headphones.
