Best Buddies Virginia & DC

Best Buddies is a global volunteer movement dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, through one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living.

Through our Friendship Program, students with and without disabilities are paired in meaningful one-to-one friendships that foster connection, belonging, and inclusion. Additionally, our adult friendship program, Citizens, offers adults in the community the same opportunity to be matched in meaningful one-to-one friendships and participate in group events together.

Best Buddies Jobs provides individuals with IDD the opportunity to earn an income, pay taxes, and work alongside others in their community. Our Transitions Program offers a combination of classroom-based training, experiential learning, and corporate mentorship to help students with IDD explore post-secondary options, prepare for independent living, and identify career ambitions. 

The Ambassadors Program is a nine-month leadership training experience that empowers a select group of participants with IDD to become self-advocates, leaders, and community ambassadors through public speaking and advocacy development.

Our Inclusive Living Program fosters an integrated environment where people with and without IDD live independently while learning, growing, and thriving together as active, contributing members of their community.

Together, these programs educate and empower individuals with and without IDD to become leaders, public speakers, and advocates. Best Buddies believes deeply in the power of its participants to lead inclusion efforts locally and beyond, helping to build a more inclusive world for people with IDD.

Our programs exemplify how impactful they are from participants like Anna and Alex.

Meet Anna - Anna has been involved with Best Buddies since her freshman year, when she was matched with Lily, a student with Down syndrome, through the program. Their friendship quickly became a defining part of Anna’s high school experience and motivated her to become more deeply involved in the Best Buddies community. She now serves as the president of the chapter at Bishop O’Connell High School, leading activities and supporting members.

What Anna values most about Best Buddies is the sense of belonging it creates. She describes the community as “welcoming, inclusive, and fun,” and says it has helped her build friendships both within her school and beyond it. Through Best Buddies, Anna has seen how intentional inclusion can bring people together and create lasting connections.

Being part of Best Buddies has also expanded Anna’s understanding of the intellectual and developmental disability community. Reflecting on her experience, Anna shared, “I didn’t know much about the IDD community before joining Best Buddies, but it really spreads awareness and has become such a big cause in my life. It’s inspired me to want to help people with disabilities as a career.” Inspired by her experiences with Best Buddies, Anna has become more involved in her school’s unified sports and expanded services programs.

When asked what others should know about Best Buddies, Anna says it best: “It’s a program for people with and without IDD — one that builds friendships, strengthens community, and benefits everyone involved.”

Meet Alex —  Alex joined Best Buddies as a sophomore at Langley High School, and what began as a way to get involved quickly became a defining part of his school experience. Now a senior, Alex serves as the Director of Coordination for the Langley chapter, helping organize activities, support members, and strengthen the inclusive community Best Buddies creates.

Through Best Buddies, Alex has found connection, confidence, and purpose. As he prepares for life after high school, he has participated in trainings through the Best Buddies Transitions Program, gaining exposure to life skills and career exploration. One standout experience was an on-site training at Navy Federal Credit Union. “I got to chat with people and learn about different jobs,” Alex shared, reflecting on how the experience expanded his view of what’s possible after graduation.

At its core, Best Buddies has shaped how Alex shows up for others. “Best Buddies has taught me to be kind, be nice, be respectful, and think about the people that really need you,” he said. When asked what others should know, Alex put it simply: “Best Buddies is a program where you help out all the kids, with and without IDD. You get to be friends and create a community. It’s really for everybody.”

From leadership to transition experiences, Best Buddies has helped Alex build meaningful relationships and see a future full of possibility.