Join us as we walk in support of Best Buddies’ mission of inclusion.
Best Buddies Friendship Walk: Jacksonville
Saturday, May 1
9:00 AM – Noon | Virtual Event
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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.
About Our 2021 Event
We are excited to announce the launch of a unique Friendship Walk experience. Best Buddies in Jacksonville has created an innovative approach to this year’s Friendship Walk. Although we hoped 2021 would bring back some normalcy to the in-person Friendship Walk we know, precautions still need to be made. Therefore, we are taking our event virtual! Doing this allows our at-risk participants the option to celebrate the Friendship Walk in a safe and socially distanced manner. With that in mind, this year’s walk will include a unique component: Virtual Satellite Walks to be held anywhere a walker can walk. It is our vision and goal to launch a fully throttled inclusive event in which anyone anywhere can participate in Friendship Walk 2021.
Virtual Satellite Walk
Join us online in our interactive walk platform for opening ceremonies and warm up. We hope you will celebrate with us from 9:00AM – 12:00PM. Here is how it works:
- Walk with your friends (we recommend 10 per group) in a social distanced group within your neighborhood, local park or treadmill near you. Walkers with groups larger than 10 are asked to stagger start times for their walks.
- Virtual Walks include neighborhood walks, corporate team walks, community & family team walks and school walks that happen anywhere in the community.
- There will be contests for teams to compete in during the virtual event day, May 1st. School teams can also compete in contests each week beginning ten weeks from event day.
- We will send a volunteer reporter to visit your team if you host a satellite walk with friends, family or co-workers. They will take pictures and cheer you on through the contests!
- Be sure to wear your own mask and the Best Buddies Walk shirt if you fundraised your $50.
- Please send in your live videos and pictures to our designated location to be featured in the interactive virtual platform and on social media the day of the event.
- Pick-up your Virtual Walker Box and utilize all the great goodies inside during the walk event.
- Create your own walk route or map ahead of time. Hint, hint, this sounds like a great contest!
For sponsorship opportunities and other event inquiries, please contact: KelseyGilson@bestbuddies.org.
Schedule
Saturday, May 1, 2021
Opening Ceremonies: 9:00 AM
Walk: Directly after Opening Ceremonies
Celebrate Until: 12:00PM
Location
Virtual Event on Best Buddies Florida Facebook Live
Mission Movers – Top Fundraisers
Going the extra mile for Best Buddies.
2021 Friendship Walk Fundraising Incentive Program
Introducing the all-new Friendship Walk Fundraising Incentive Program. Each time you hit a fundraising incentive level, we’ll send you an email confirming your shipping address and that item will be immediately sent to you. (Except the $50 participant shirt which will be given to you either on Walk day or picked up the day before the Walk - see your local Best Buddies office for more detail) Incentive levels start at $50 and go up to $1,500. Get all six and you’ll be repping Best Buddies to the fullest!


Fundraise
Let’s change the world for people with intellectual & developmental disabilities.

Supporting Local Programs
Funds raised through the Friendship Walk benefits Best Buddies – 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.
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.
We Love Our Sponsors!
For sponsorship opportunities and other event inquiries, please contact:
KelseyGilson@bestbuddies.org
904.296.0510 ext 401
Best Buddies in Florida 3545 St. Johns Bluff Rd S, Ste 357, Jacksonville, Florida 32224
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to bring to the walk?
Just bring yourself and a smile! We’ll provide the food, drinks and the fun.
Can I bring my pet?
Check with your local Best Buddies office. If the walk location allows pets, then so do we! Of course, service animals are always allowed.
What happens if it rains on the day of the Friendship Walk?
The show will go on! If stormy weather is in the forecast, there may be location and/or schedule changes. We’ll be sure to keep you informed by email (if you’re registered to walk) and will post updates on our website and social media.
Is the Friendship Walk T-shirt available for purchase?
The official Best Buddies Friendship Walk T-shirt is a badge of honor, so to speak, and is only given in recognition to walkers that raise $50 or more. (And how awesome would that be if EVERY registered walker earned one? Let’s make that happen!)
I made a $50 donation to my child’s fundraising page – will I get a T-shirt?
Thank you! Your donation will count towards your child’s fundraising total so he/she will be the one who earns the T-shirt. (But maybe your generosity will earn you Parent-of-the-Year!)
Do you accept cash or check donations?
You bet we do! Simply bring it with you to the walk, or visit your local Best Buddies office. Either way, you’re awesome for asking 🙂
Can I volunteer at the event?
Absolutely! Volunteers are needed to assist with event planning, day-of support, and more. If you are interested in volunteering, visit the link below to receive more info regarding volunteer opportunities.
Sign up to volunteer at www.bestbuddies.org/volunteer/.
Sign up to volunteer at www.bestbuddies.org/volunteer/.
How will the Coronavirus affect the event?
Our team is closely monitoring and evaluating the situation around the Coronavirus (COVID-19). We want to ensure you that we are taking all necessary measures to protect the health and well-being of our Friendship Walk participants.
The Best Buddies Team is currently assessing alternative Friendship Walk plans for scenarios in which social distancing practices are set in motion. As soon as we can, we’ll be sharing that with you. As always, thank you for your support of the Best Buddies mission.