Listen: On Day 34 of 50 in Meet The Need, we explore the role of friendship in an individual's life with Best Buddies Wisconsin. They're a nationwide organization focused on creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and development disabilities.
Theresa Nemetz, State Director of Best Buddies Wisconsin, introduces us to their work:
-Theresa gives some history of Best Buddies, an organization founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver 22 years ago:
-A young man who had a hard time coming out of his shell before he came to Best Buddies ended up being their keynote speaker at a recent gala:
-Oftentimes for a parent with mental or developmental disabilities, the opportunity to see your child act independently might be rare -- Best Buddies, through their integration of employment opportunities, makes that possible:
-Finally, Theresa shares some ways you can get involved with Best Buddies, either as a buddy or other supporting roles:
This year, we ask you to adopt one or two organizations that connect with you. Want to get involved with Best Buddies? Donate, volunteer, or check out their work yourself. And you can start with their website.