Best Buddies New Jersey's Champion of the Year

Your Impact, Our Programs!

Best Buddies in New Jersey

547

Amazing friends — LIKE YOU — helped us raise over $215,000 in 2019 to support our local programs!

The funds raised through the Gala and other events in New Jersey in 2019 will bring Best Buddies to 11 new schools throughout the state in 2020! 

In 21 towns & cities throughout New Jersey



Impacting over 50,000 people



Over 2,000 School Friendship Participants



32 School Chapters



41 Placed Jobs Participants

Best Buddies International is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendship, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Champion of the Year unites and recognizes the most active leaders in the name of inclusion in New Jersey. By sharing their energy, talents, networks, and passion for inclusion through a philanthropic competition, our Champions are laying the foundation for transformative change in our community.

First, we held our Candidate Training to equip the nominees with all the tools needed to lead a successful campaign. We heard from all of our Champions about why they’d chosen to join Best Buddies in working for inclusion.

Our Candidates

JENNY BAXTER

MARC CABEZAS MATTHEW FERNANDES

TEAM DIVERSANT

RICH SADIV

VANESSA & BRET

Collectively, our 2019 Champion of the Year candidates in New Jersey raised $118,000 through their personal fundraising campaigns! The campaign concluded with a Gala to celebrate their efforts and announce our overall winner.

New Jersey’s

Oh, what a night!

New Jersey’s 2019

Champion of the Year

WINNER!

Rich Sadiv raised over $54,000!

Employer Partner

81% of adults (18+) with IDD do not have a paid job in the community.

Companies like Merck are changing this statistic!

Our Sponsors

Our Sponsors

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 with IDD are overlooked during times of public emergency, as they are often not in a position to

advocate for themselves.

NOMINATE >>

SPONSOR >>

SUPPORT >>

Let us know who you think would be a great Champion for our mission of friendship and inclusion. You could nominate someone from your company or even yourself—after all, we are honoring the best of the best in New Jersey through this campaign!

Become a corporate partner with Best Buddies and receive a multitude of marketing opportunities with our large network of supporters (and beyond)!

Support a Champion in his/her fundraising efforts, make a donation to support the cause, contribute an item to our silent auction, or spread the word and let others know to join us for the Virtual Best Buddies Champion of the Year Gala in New Jersey!

Virtual Champions Gala â—? Friday, December 4, 2020 Join us virtually for our 2020 Gala. More details to come!

Best Buddies in New Jersey newjersey@bestbuddies.org PO Box 5382 Clinton, NJ 08809 | P 609.608.0009

BESTBUDDIES.ORG/NEWJERSEY