You’re making a difference.
Thank you!
Message From Our State Director Dear Friends, All of us at Best Buddies in Minnesota extend our deepest appreciation to our wonderful participants, families, volunteers, donors, and corporate partners for such an impactful 2025! Your support and dedication to our mission helps our programs grow, creating more inclusive communities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities throughout our state. Happy New Year to you and yours, and here’s to continued growth in 2026! In Friendship, Katey DeMarais State Director BBMN Team: Kalli, Katey, Emma, Kai
Here’s what we’ve accomplished, Because of your support in
2025
University of Minnesota
Forest Lake Area Middle School
One-to-One Friendship Program 127 Cities | 24 Counties
50 We opened 11 new school chapters in 2025!
Total Chapters
2,600
12
Total Participants
Elementary Schools
11 Middle Schools
19 High Schools
3 Colleges
5 Citizens Chapters
248 Citizens Participants Owatonna Elementary School
Minnetonka High School
26,000 Impacted
Meet Amelie and Corey
Amelie and Corey have been matched in Best Buddies Citizens since October 2024
One-to-One Friendships
Our friendship is very special to me because of how Corey has always been there for me and has shown up in my life where I needed her the most. She's the best buddy that I could ask for.”
- Amelie I love spending time with Amelie. We are always making jokes and laughing together. She brightens my days and I’m so lucky to have her as a friend.”
- Corey
Leadership Development Program 29 Ambassadors Participants
5 Participants attended BBLC on the Ambassador Track
Meet Sam I joined the Ambassador Academy to keep spreading inclusivity and to continue to grow as a leader. Everyone deserves to feel accepted for who they are and we all have the power to fight the stigmas and create a world where everyone can belong.”
- Sam
Leadership Development
Read about the launch of our newest program: Best Buddies Ambassador Academy!
Best Buddies
Friendship Ball
An unforgettable evening with
141 Best Buddies middle school, high school, and college members from all over the state gathered at Minnetonka High School for music, dancing, and friendship!
(STW ETW) is an ongoing movement to end the hurtful and demeaning use of the word “retard(ed).” Chapters all throughout Minnesota held STW ETW awareness events at their respective schools. Our Best Buddies participants raised the consciousness of their classmates about the dehumanizing effects of using the R-Word and encouraged people to stop using the word.
Raised over
$105,000 Over 1,000 participants, family members, corporate partners, and community members joined us at Viking Lakes to walk for friendship and inclusion!
In July, 28 leaders from all over Minnesota, both with and without IDD, attended our 34th Annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference. They participated in personalized trainings that developed the skills needed to organize and lead a Best Buddies school chapter and advocacy initiatives!
Raised
$411,000 More than 450 supporters came together for our 8th annual Champion of the Year Gala in celebration of the collective efforts of our 7 Champions who raised funds and awareness to support our mission of inclusion!
Congratulations to 2025 Grand Champion, Shelby Hohneke, and her Mission Partner, Mikayla Holmgren, for raising over $115,000!
Champions are made from something they have deep inside of them - a desire, a dream, a vision.” - Mahatma Gandhi
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