LA 2025 BBCOY Program Book

Boots & Buddies

•EVENTOVERVIEW•

6:00 PM

Cocktail Reception & Silent Auction Opens

7:15 PM Dinner is Served & Program Begins

Introduction of Champion Candidates

Representation in Media Award Presented to Abbey Romeo

7:45 PM Silent Auction Closes Live Auction Begins

8:15 PM Mission Feature 9:00 PM The Grand Champion is Crowned!

Welcome to the Gala

Thank you for joining us at the 2025 Best Buddies Champion of the Year Gala! Tonight is about celebrating the Best Buddies mission and the incredible impact this community makes every single day. Every supporter, volunteer, and participant plays a vital role in helping us build a more inclusive world for people of all abilities.

This mission has always held a special place in my heart. Before joining Best Buddies, I worked as a Special Education Teacher, where I saw firsthand how meaningful friendship, independence, and inclusion can transform a person’s life. Since moving away from teaching, Best Buddies has allowed me to stay connected to a community that means so much to me.

I first got involved in 2014 through the Best Buddies Citizens Program, which is the adult friendship program that connects people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Over the years, I’ve watched this organization open doors, build confidence, and create spaces where everyone truly belongs. It’s been an incredible journey, and an absolute honor to now serve as Chair of the Best Buddies Los Angeles Advisory Board

Best Buddies is about more than programs; it’s about people It’s about celebrating each individual’s unique abilities and creating opportunities for lifelong friendships and personal growth. The work being done here in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Orange County reminds us every day that inclusion isn’t just something we talk about; it’s something we live.

Thank you for being part of this movement and for continuing to champion a world where everyone is seen, valued, and included.

In friendship, Shawn Egan

Shawn Egan, Los Angeles Advisory Board Chair

How to register for the auction:

Text LACOY25 to 76278

How to find an item:

You can find specific items by using the search bar or the “categories” drop-down menu

How to bid on an item:

1. Find the item you’d like to bid on online

2 Select the item and place a bid

3. Place an auto bid to set a maximum bid

How to find the items you bid on:

Items you have bid on can be found under “my activity”

How to tell if you were outbid:

You will receive a text message when you’ve been outbid

Alternatively, navigate to “my activity” to check the status of your bids

Online Donation Process

How to donate:

Go to LACOY25givesmartcom or click on the text you received at check-in

Click on the "items" tab

Select the Champion you would like to credit

Choose your amount or easily enter a custom one on your own

Confirm your donation - you may be prompted to enter a credit card at this time if you did not provide one at registration

The Value of Your Donation

Best Buddies helps individuals with IDD form meaningful friendships, secure competitive jobs, live independently, and improve self-advocacy skills. Learn more about how your donation can equate to programmatic support.

$5,000

• Give the gift of friendship. 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.

$2,500

• Fund an all-day Ambassadors training session for up to 50 people with and without IDD, where attendees will gain the public speaking skills and confidence needed to champion inclusion throughout their community

$1,000

• Give a student leader, Ambassador, or Jobs participant the opportunity to attend the annual Best Buddies Leadership Conference at Indiana University. BBLC brings together participants and volunteers from around the world, empowering them with the skills and resources to create inclusive schools, workplaces, and communities.

$500

• Host a Citizens event for adults with and without IDD, bringing together up to 50 people for friendship and connection.

• Provide shirts for 50 BBLC attendees to show their California pride at IU.

$250

• Provide transportation for at least 2 ambassadors to give public speeches and hone their advocacy skills.

• Cover the cost of a pizza party for a school chapter to celebrate their inclusion efforts

• THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS •

Champion Candidates

Mission Partners & Campaign Managers

A community of supporters bridging gaps so that everyone is included.

Be the Bridge. Donate Monthly!

Everyone deserves to feel like a contributing member of society. YOU can create a pathway from isolation to inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through a monthly gift. Join The Bridge and connect these individuals to much-needed opportunities through Best Buddies’ friendship, job, leadership development, and inclusive living programs!

200 million people have IDD. Enrich lives & make a lasting impact for as little as $10 per month!

MISSION HISTORY

We are 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).

WHO WE SERVE

Founded in 1989 by Anthony K Shriver, Best Buddies has grown from one original chapter to nearly 2,900 chapters worldwide, positively impacting the lives of over 1.25 million people with and without IDD Best Buddies programs engage participants in each of the 50 states and 54 countries around the world. 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.

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, inclusive living, and family support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

VISION

To put Best Buddies out of business. Best Buddies envisions a world where people with IDD are so successfully integrated into schools, workplaces, and communities that its current efforts and services will be unnecessary. Until that vision becomes a reality, the organization will continue to educate students, community members, corporations, and employers about the emotional, functional, and natural needs and abilities of people with IDD

LA, OC, LB, & IE Friendship Chapters & Jobs Placements

ElementarySchool Chapters

Barbara Benson Elementary School

Cypress Elementary School

Dixie Canyon

Community Charter School

ThomasJefferson Elementary School

Killybrooke Elementary School

Palisades Elementary School

Prisk Elementary School

Trabuco Mesa Elementary School

MiddleSchool Chapters

Ethel Dwyer

Middle School

Las Palmas Middle School

Lone Hills Middle School

March Middle School

Dr Martin Luther

King Jr Middle School

Oxford Preparatory

Academy

Suzanne Middle School

HighSchoolChapters

Alexandar Hamilton High School

Aliso Niguel High School

Alta Loma High School

Antelope Valley High School

Archer School for Girls

Arroyo Valley High School

Azusa High School

Beaumont High School

Bloomington High School

Brea Olinda High School

Brentwood High School

Campbell Hall High School

Cajon High School

Canyon High School

Capistrano Valley High School

Chino High School

Claremont High School

Corona Del Mar High School

Cresenta Valley High School

Cypress High School

Dana Hills High School

Edgewood High School

Etiwanda High School

Ernest S McBride High School

Glen A. Wilson High School

Glendale High School

Glendora High School

Grand Terrace High School

Grover Cleveland

Charter High School

Granite Hills High School

Harvard Westlake Upper School

Highland High School

Indian Springs High School

Jserra Catholic High School

La Canada High School

Larchmont High School

LB poly High School

Loara High School

Los Osos High School

Malibu High School

Marlborough High School

Mission Viejo High School

Norte Vista High School

Pacific High School

Palos Verdes Penninsula High School

Quartz Hill High School

Rancho Cucamonga High School

Rancho Mirage High School

Ruben S. Ayala High School

San Clemente High School

San Juan Hills High School

Santiago High School

Sonora High School

Tesoro High School

The Buckley School

Trabuco Hills High School

Troy High School

UCLA Community School

Venice High School

Villa Park High School

Wilson High School

Yucaipa High School

CollegeChapters

California University of Science and Medicine CSUF CSULB

JobPlacements All City Management AMC Theaters Candified Career Group Companies

CAVA Chase Coffee Roasters

City of LA Mayor's Office of Economic Opportunity

COSM

Dignity Sports Center

Disneyland Resort Doggie Daycare and More

Entertainment Industry Foundation

Fiji Water

Food 4 Less

Gelfand Rennert & Feldman

Holland & Knight

Honeybee Health

HRC

Iron Mountain

JLL @ Amazon

GREF

JLL @ Google

LAHH

Lathan & Watkins

Manatt Phelps & Phillips Merchant

MOD Pizza

Oakmont of Torrance Office Depot

PortView Preparatory

Propagate Content

Ralphs

Ralph’s Fresh Fare

Ross

Santa Margarita

Catholic High School

Sephora

Seyfarth Shaw

Smart & Final Sprouts

Think Together

Top Golf

UCLA Department of Pathology and Laboratory

Medicine

UCLA Housing & Hospitality

Walt Disney Television

Westside Regional Center

William Morris

Endeavor

JOIN A CHAPTER

Join an existing school chapter! We have clubs at schools with & without special education programs.

START A CHAPTER

Be an inclusion leader by starting a chapter! Receive support from Best Buddies staff every step of the way.

JOIN CITIZENS (18+)

Make a friend while participating in inclusive activities with adults with and without IDD in your local area.

Conduct a practice interview for a jobseeking participant. We'll provide the interview questions, you ask away!

Chat with Best Buddies participants about your job and offer advice on how to enter into your career field.

HOST A MOCK INTERVIEW

One-to-One Friendship Integrated

JOIN E-BUDDIES

Promote workplace readiness by teaching job skills to participants who are seeking competitive employment.

Sign up for our email-based pen pal program. E-Buddies provides virtual one-to-one friendship opportunities.

Employment

Share the mission by encouraging your employer to participate in Best Buddies events and programs.

JOIN A CAREER PANEL

INVOLVE YOUR

Leadership Development

BECOME AN AMBASSADOR

Attend an ambassador training to learn speech writing, public speaking, and advocacy skills.

BE A SPEECH COACH

BRING AN AMBASSADOR TO YOUR COMMUNITY

Invite an ambassador to speak about inclusion at your school or workplace!

Support the event planning process by joining a committee. Assist with logistics, publicity, sponsorships, and more!

Attend a training as a speech coach to support an individual on their journey to becoming an ambassador.

HOST A TRAINING

TheBestBuddiesFriendshipWalkistheleading walkinthecountrysupportinginclusionforpeople withintellectualanddevelopmentaldisabilities(also knownasIDD).Registertodayat BestBuddiesFriendshipWalk.org!

Get a group together to level up your leadership. We provide the content, you lead the training!

JOIN A COMMITTEE

Signature Events & Advisory Board

Advisory board members commit to a two-year term where they their skills and connections to expand our reach at the local *There is an application and interview process for this volunteer

Los Angeles Advisory Board

Thank

Want to hire a Buddy from ?

We’re seeking employment partners ready to make a difference by hiring talented candidates from our Jobs nclusive workforce.

Christian | La Habra, CA

Field Interest: Stock/Retail Associate, Part-Time

Related Experience: Worked at Office Depot, Juice It Up, interned at Bourbon Street, and a daycare

Why you should hire Christian: Christian is softspoken, eager to do well, and reliable at work. He is working with his job coach to improve his customer service skills by gaining self-confidence.

Samuel | Long Beach, CA

Field Interest: Customer service in the Restaurant Industry

Related Experience: Customer service, sales, stocking, inventory management, cash register

Sam | Irvine, CA

Field Interest: Office/Facilities- Part-Time Related Experience: Worked at Walmart

Why you should hire Sam: Sam is dedicated and hard-working He is committed to doing a thorough job and will ask follow-up questions to ensure he fully understands any process He is looking for a place to grow his career.

Thomas | Irvine, CA

Field Interest: Office/Retail stocking or organization - Part-Time

Related Experience: Worked at River Rock Financial, Chick-fil-A, and Wholesome Choice

Why you should hire Thomas: Thomas leaves every room happier than when he entered it. He has a charming way of making everyone feel welcome and seen.