• Error – No condition set in menu location for page
Best Buddies Friendship WalkBest Buddies Friendship Walk
Best Buddies Friendship WalkBest Buddies Friendship Walk
  • Error – No condition set in menu location for page

About Drew Heinrich

This author hasn't written their bio yet.
Drew Heinrich has contributed 7 entries to our website, so far.

Fundraising Incentives

Join As A Virtual Walker!

Upload Your TikToK Video

Upload Your TikTok Video

  • Some text here

  • Some text here

[contact-form-7 id=”95942″ title=”Upload Your TikTok Video”]

Event Overview Text

The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the leading walk in the country supporting inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (also known as IDD).

Join 40,000 walkers across the country to support the Best Buddies programs in your schools, workplaces and communities.  You’ll be making the world more welcoming to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities – one friendship, one job, and one life-changing connection at a time.

Template login

About Best Buddies

About Best Buddies

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, and inclusive living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

Who We Serve

The IDD community that Best Buddies serves includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities.

Programs

Best Buddies is the world’s largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower the special abilities of people with IDD by helping them form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure successful jobs, live independently, improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills, and feel valued by society.

BESTBUDDIES® Four Mission Pillars

One-To-One
Friendships

Integrated
Employment

Leadership
Development

Inclusive
Living

One-To-One
Friendships

Two female Best Buddies participants standing back to back

Builds friendships between people with and without IDD, offering social mentoring while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion.

Integrated
Employment

Best Buddies Jobs participant at work in a suit

Secures jobs for people with IDD, allowing them to earn an income, pay taxes, and support themselves.

Leadership
Development

Best Buddies ambassador giving a speech at a podium

Educates and empowers people with and without IDD, to be leaders, public speakers and advocates.

Inclusive
Living

Best Buddies Living participants eating pizza in their kitchen

Providing a vibrant, integrated living opportunity for people with and without IDD.

Learn more at bestbuddies.org

Walker Tips & Tools

Walker Tips & Tools

Thank you for being a part of the Best Buddies Friendship Walk! Registering for the Friendship Walk is your first step in helping raise awareness and funds for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in your community.

Now let’s get started! Below you will find tools, information, and ideas to help your fundraising efforts. Have fun, be creative and keep going – our finish line is a more inclusive world!

  • Getting Started
  • Fundraising Incentives
  • The Changemakers
  • Social Media
  • Team Captains
  • Fundraising Tools

Getting Started

You have officially registered for this year’s Friendship Walk – CONGRATS! Here are a few tips to get you started on your fundraising journey. The first step is customize your personal fundraising page. Let’s go! 

1) Log into your personal fundraising page

Step 1 graphic

Click the “login” link located in the header of the event you are participating in and enter the username and password you chose when you registered.

2) Set a fundraising goal

Step 2 graphic

Next, enter in the fundraising goal you are aiming to raise. Choose a goal that is attainable. Remember, $50 gets you a Friendship Walk t-shirt and incentive levels are at $250, $500, $750, $1,000 and $1,500.

3) Make it personal

step 3 graphic

Upload a photo of yourself and possibly one that shows why you are walking and fundraising for Best Buddies. Next, share a story about your participation in the Friendship Walk and what Best Buddies means to you.

4) Kick things off

step 4 graphic

Get your fundraising page started with a donation of your own. It is not mandatory to do so, but it does help get things started. It also shows your personal vested interest in the cause and your efforts.

Fundraising Incentives

Group of participants wearing the friendship walk tshirt

2023 Fundraising Incentives

Incentives

The Changemakers

change • maker [chaynj • mayker] (n.)

1. Someone who is committed to bringing about positive social change.
2. Someone who leads with intention to create a difference in their community.

All new for 2023, we are proud to introduce The Changemakers, an elite fundraising level for those who go above and beyond to support the Best Buddies mission! Every person who raises $5,000 on their individual Friendship Walk page will earn custom Vans shoes, a commemorative “Changemaker” pin, and more.

Changemaker incentives

 

Stay tuned throughout walk season for special announcements — and thank you for raising funds and awareness to create stronger, more inclusive communities. You are truly a Changemaker!

Social Media

Social Media Tools to Take Your Fundraising to the Next Level

Social media is a powerful tool that can lead to some amazing fundraising results. We’ve compiled a list of tools you can use to create and launch an effective fundraising campaign with your personal social media accounts.

General Use Social Media Images:

Team Captains

Team Captain Guide

Take a look for ideas on how to take your team to the top!

Download our Team Captain Guide.

Fundraising Tools

Tools to Help Your Fundraising Efforts

This list of resources is overflowing with tools to help you create a captivating fundraiser that encourages donations. Use these tools to bring your fundraiser to life! This comprehensive list covers everything from writing, design, social media, photos and video, event organization, and a few in-depth checklists to keep you organized throughout your fundraising journey.

  • Walker Fundraising Toolkit
  • Best Buddies Chapter Fundraising Ideas
  • Original BINGO