Is a Proud Sponsor of
BEST BUDDIES and INCLUSION
This eight-week philanthropic competition for Best Buddies in Kentucky celebrates Best Buddies participants and community leaders throughout the Commonwealth who have been nominated as “Champions� to raise funds and increase awareness for the mission of Best Buddies. Following an eightweek campaign, all candidates and their mission partners are being honored at the Champion of the Year Gala. The Champion candidate who raises the most donations, surpassing all rivals in the competition, is named the 2020 Grand Champion of the Year. Funds raised by the Champions and proceeds from the Gala will directly benefit the local programs of Best Buddies in Kentucky to create more friendships, develop leadership opportunities, and open new programs for hundreds of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities around the state. Thank you for your support of our Champion of the Year gala!
Emily Bruenderman Director, Mission Advancement, Best Buddies in Kentucky
All donations are tax-deductible under all KY laws of tax deductible donations for 501(c)(3) organizations.
Mission Best Buddies International is a non-profit 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 syndrome, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities.
Programs Best Buddies programs sit on the four key mission pillars below:
Best Buddies 2020 Featured Buddy Pair Kayla & Rachel, Centre College
Kayla and Rachel are Best Buddies participants who have been matched in a one-to-one friendship through the Centre College Best Buddies program. Kayla & Rachel enjoy going for ice cream, talking on the phone, and participating in the Best Buddies monthly chapter get-togethers. Friendship looks a little different in 2020, but our buddy pairs have found new ways to connect so that physical distance doesn’t turn into social isolation. The Best Buddies mission is more important than ever.
How Donations = Programmatic Support
$5,000
$3,000
$2,500
Gift of Friendship
Party With A Purpose
Training Day
Bring together people with and without IDD for friendships that cultivate community-wide social inclusion by funding a new school, citizens or corporate chapter in the Best Buddies Friendship program.
Create a magical evening where buddy pairs celebrate and have fun at the Best Buddies Friendship Ball, similar to a prom for our middle school, high school and college members.
Fund an Ambassador training session for up to 50 people with and without IDD, giving them the public speaking skills to champion for inclusion throughout Kentucky
$1,000 Prepare Future Advocates Give a student leader, Ambassador, or Faculty Advisor the opportunity to attend the annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference, where they will learn to advocate for themselves and the IDD community.
$100
$350
$250
Gift of Chapter Dues
It’s A Match!
Help alleviate a high school or college chapter of its $350 annual dues which provides a library of online resources, membership management program, use of the Best Buddies name and logo, and liability insurance.
Support a one-to-one friendship between someone with IDD and his or her peer, helping to build a mutually enriching connection that enhances the lives of program participants and their families.
$50
You’ve Got Mail!
Prep For Success
Fund an online e-Buddies friendship between a person with and a person without IDD. The “e-pal” program allows participants to become more social and technology-literate, which may lead to more advanced career opportunities.
Provide an hour of job coaching, where an employment candidate with IDD has the opportunity to practice interview skills, prepare for job readiness, or receive on-the-job support so he or she can excel in a new placement.
$25 Teach Inclusion At An Early Age Supply instruction for interactive activities, lesson plans and tool kits for school students in a Best Buddies chapter so that they can learn about acceptance and inclusion at a young age.
Many THANKS to Our Sponsors: Bronze Sponsors
Friendship Sponsors
MEET THE C
BRAEA TILFORD, Miss KY USA 2018, Founder of Grow, Lead, Inspire
ERIC WISEMAN, Humana
MICAH CASSIDY, Louisville Window Company
AUDREY DAVIS: ABA Trainer at Hopebridge, Co-Creator of Cre8ability, CLS Worker Centerstone
BELLA LETTO, University of Louisville Student and Best Buddies Member
LOREN MORRIS, Intec & BBKY Advisory Board Member
CHAMPIONS
MARK BROCKMAN, Jr. M.D. Norton Children’s
RYAN COTE, University of Louisville Student
SHELBY YOUNG, Kids’ Center for Pediatric Therapy
RACHEL WILEY, Rachel Wiley Photography
SAM KNIGHT, Oxinas Partners Wealth Management
ZACH TRINKLE, Connally Law Offices
MEET THE MISS
SION PARTNERS
Embracing INCLUSION in Schools Know a school where all students could benefit from learning more about their differently–abled peers? Contact the Best Buddies KY office to learn more about how you can help get Best Buddies started. Call 502-536-7876.
Saturday, May 15, 2021 E.P. Tom Sawyer Park Register Your Team Today: BESTBUDDIESFRIENDSHIPWALK.ORG/KENTUCKY Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities Available! Contact Kentucky@BestBuddies.org
Friendships for Adults: CITIZENS During the pandemic, Best Buddies provided opportunities for adults to engage socially through weekly zoom meetings. Now they are ready to take on the world for friendship. To get involved, contact Kentucky@bestbuddies.org
Kentucky School Programs COLLEGE CHAPTERS
HIGH SCHOOL CHAPTERS
Bellarmine University
Ballard High School
Centre College
Barren County High School
Morehead State University
Butler High School
Murray State University
duPont Manual High School
Northern Kentucky University
Eastern High School
University of Kentucky
Fairdale High School
University of Louisville
Fern Creek High School
University of Pikeville
Iroquois High School
Western Kentucky University
Pleasure Ridge Park High School Shelby County High School Southern High School
MIDDLE SCHOOL Farnsley Middle School
John L. Ramsey Middle Noe Middle School Shelby County East Middle Thomas Jefferson Middle Knight Middle School Westport Middle School
Trinity High School Assumption High School Waggener High School
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHAPTERS Farmer Elementary School Hawthorne Elementary School Middletown Elementary School
Norton Commons Elementary Wellington Elementary School Wheeler Elementary School
Kentucky Advisory Board Jason Wheatley, Advisory Board Chair, Exceptional Child Education at Central Office, Jefferson County Public Schools Brian Coxon, Partner/Owner, Oxinas Partners Wealth Management Danielle Davis, Owner, Lemonade PR Loren Morris, Director of Business Development, INTEC Martha Teston, Classroom Assistant, Jefferson County Public Schools Katherine Teston, Best Buddies Ambassador and Self-Advocate Nicole Stephens, Special Ed Teacher, Jefferson County Public Schools Alex Brayton, Healthcare Strategist, Nuna, Inc. David Gerace, Financial Advisor, Northwestern Mutual
Lisa Strite, Community Volunteer Vince Cain, Practice Growth Manager, Strothman and Company Trey Gossom, Owner, Annex Capital
We would love to have you join us and further your involvement with Best Buddies. If you are interested in joining one of our planning committees or simply learning more about Best Buddies, please contact Emily Bruenderman, Best Buddies Kentucky Director, by email: emilybruenderman@bestbuddies.org or by phone: 502.536.7876.
Circle of CHAMPIONS Best Buddies will be forever grateful for the Champions that have been helping Best Buddies push our mission forward since 2010, including these past winners: 2010 - NICK PHELPS 2011 - BRUCE CORWIN 2012 - AMANDA MERTZ 2013 - BRIAN COXON 2014 - HARPER GRAY 2015 - CHRIS JONES 2016 - SUSAN BROOKS 2017 - PEYTON GRAY 2018 - MERRITT ROBINSON
2019 Grand Champion, Danielle Davis, Lemonade PR
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Best Buddies in Kentucky 3044 Bardstown Rd, #1274 Louisville, KY 40205