Best Buddies The mission of Best Buddies is to establish a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. To get involved in Garden City High School's chapter please contact Allison Moss or Travis Kalberer. If you wish to get more information about the new Middle School Chapter, reach out Jennifer Novack or Danielle Goodwin.
Thank you for supporting our team! For the past few years, our team has reigned as one of the #1 fundraising team in the nation! Thank you so much for helping to support an organization that affects so many people's lives for the better. Click here for information about our upcoming walk!
Garden City High School Best Buddies - Most Outstanding Chapter in New York State - Attends Leadership Conference Click to read about it Garden City High School Best Buddies
Click here to see our new Garden City Best Buddies Merchandise!
NEW! Best Buddies Long Island Alumni Club!
About the Best Buddies Long Island Alumni Club (BBLIAC) One of the many reasons students join Best Buddies is for the opportunity for friendship that the organization provides. Think about the friends you have made, your buddy, and all the activities you participated in together. What happens after you graduate and are now Best Buddies alumni? Because we do not yet have an established citizens program in Long Island, alumni in the area struggle to find a way to stay engaged.
What is the Alumni Club? Many who graduate from the programs are either graduates of a LI program or students who participated in Best Buddies in other regions & states that are from the Long Island area. Regardless of age, each graduate has something in common: Best Buddies has played an important role in each of their lives and just because school has ended does not mean the participation and enthusiasm about the organization has ended, too. There has been such a strong presence of these Best Buddies Alumni who are really missing the connections they built while a member of the programs that they have established a Best Buddies LI Alumni Club!!
Who is in the Alumni Club? The Long Island Alumni Club is a start-up club for former buddies, peer buddies & associates in the area who have graduated from past high school and college Best Buddies programs. Participants are those who are yearning to continue connections with people who are dedicated to the mission of Best Buddies.
What will we do in the Alumni Club? Best Buddies has provided many opportunities for leadership & friendship and the Alumni club will allow these interactions and connection to the organization to continue informally. People will not necessarily be matched with one buddy, but rather encouraged to grow friendships naturally with other Best Buddies Alum. Transportation and costs will be the responsibility of each individual attendee of all Alumni events. The club will plan and host monthly events for people who have graduated from our programs to spend time together and continue to live the mission of our organization by growing friendships and advocating for Best Buddies. Events could include bowling, trivia nights, beach BBQ's, volunteering, spread the word event at a mall, creating an Alumni walk team, going to the movies, etc.
How do I begin to get involved/ receive information about the Alumni Club? Please take some time to consider your involvement on the first ever, history-making, life-changing, VERY FUN Long Island Alumni Club. Consider your ability to attend events, provide transportation for yourself and how you would like to be contacted about events. If you know anyone else who is interested in signing up for the LI Alumni Club, please email Megankelly@bestbuddies.org with their name, email address, town of residence and 1 activity they would like to see the club plan.