Boston, May 25, 2018 – Best Buddies International, a nonprofit dedicated to creating opportunities for friendship, employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), is pleased to announce that the 19^TH Annual Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port , presented by Pepsi-Cola and Shaw’s and Star Market Foundation, will take place June 1-2. More than 2,500 people are expected to participate in the Challenge – a charity ride, run, and walk to benefit Best Buddies International.

Tom Brady, New England Patriots Quarterback and Best Buddies Global Ambassador, will serve as Honorary Co-Chair, along with Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri and Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy, III. During the Challenge, Event Chair Ted English, Executive Chairman of Bob’s Discount Furniture, will help honor Eaton Vance Management with the 2018 Spirit of Leadership award.

“Best Buddies is a fantastic organization with a great message to spread, and I am so proud to support their work,” said Best Buddies Global Ambassador Tom Brady. “I hope my role as Honorary Co-Chair will continue to bring attention to the organization’s mission of friendship and inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the world.”

“We are excited to be returning to Massachusetts for our 19^th Annual Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port  and we are thrilled that Tom Brady, Guy Fieri and Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy, III will join us as Honorary Chairmen of this event,” said Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Founder and Chairman of Best Buddies International. “We are also honored to have Pepsi-Cola and Shaw’s and Star Market Foundation as this year’s Presenting Sponsors. Their dedication to the Best Buddies mission of inclusion – along with that of all Challenge participants – continues to create an even greater awareness to the special abilities people with intellectual and developmental disabilities possess.”

Several New England Patriots players, past and present including Tedy Bruschi, Julian Edelman, James White, Chris Hogan, Christian Fauria, Dan Koppen, Jason McCourty, Devin McCourty and Scott Zolak are expected to attend the Best Buddies Tom Brady Football Challenge at Harvard Stadium.

Other celebrities, professional athletes and special guests expected to participate in the Challenge weekend, include Actor Greg Germann; Model and Influencer Victoria Brito; ESPN NFL analyst Adam Schefter; Miss USA 2018 Sarah Summers and Miss Teen USA 2018 Hailey Colborn; and Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker.  

Also returning this year is the Guy Cooking With Best Buddies Celebrity Chef Food and Wine Festival, presented by Pepsi-Cola and Shaw’s and Star Market Foundation. This culinary festival will feature over 30 chefs from top local restaurants providing delectable food tastings and a variety of complimentary wine and beer options, all for a great cause. Steve DiFillippo, founder of the renowned Davio’s Restaurant Group, Randy Greenstein, principle owner of Big Night Entertainment Group, and Michael Schlow of Tico Boston will serve as the special Chef Vice-Chairs of the event.

During the Food and Wine Festival, Best Buddies and Foxwoods Resort Casino will introduce the first-ever Food Festival Awards presentation to honor the most notable restaurants and chefs at this popular event. At the end of the evening, Felix Rappaport, President & CEO of Foxwoods Resort Casino, will join Anthony Kennedy Shriver on stage to present the People’s Choice Awards to the top three stations that served the best dishes of the evening, as voted by guests.

On Saturday, June 2, hundreds of cyclists, including professional cyclists George Hincapie and Christian Vande Velde will take the starting line at Santander Bank for the picturesque 100-mile ride portion of the Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port, from Boston to Hyannis Port. The Challenge is open to participants of all ages and abilities and is designed to showcase the Best Buddies mission in action. It also features alternative 50 and 20-mile cycling routes, as well as the Carl Lewis Challenge, a 5K run or walk.

The Challenge will be capped off by a New England-style clambake and private concert by the legendary

Rick Springfield, which all participants and special guests are invited to attend.

This year’s Challenge sponsors include: Presenting Sponsors Pepsi-Cola, The Official Beverage of the Best Buddies Challenges, and Shaw’s and Star Market Foundation; Hyannis Port Club Sponsors Bob’s Discount Furniture, Foxwoods Resort Casino, Greenberg Traurig, Hublot, Don McCree, Seyfarth Shaw, Santander Bank, The TJX Companies, Inc; Cape Club Sponsors Abaco Wines, Chobani, Eze Castle Integration, The GEO Group Foundation, John Hancock, WHDH/Channel 7; Craigville Beach Club Sponsors Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, BNY Mellon, Celebrity Cruises, Cold Stone Creamery, Cooking with Kids Foundation, Crescent Capital Group, CVS Health, Dunkin’ Donuts, Eaton Vance Management, Mark Edward Partners, RAI Services Company, Joe Shay, Jr., Teddie Peanut Butter, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Volvo, BMC, and Media Sponsor Boston Business Journal.

ABOUT BEST BUDDIES INTERNATIONAL:

Best Buddies® is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Founded in 1989 by Anthony K. Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant organization that has grown from one original chapter to nearly 2,500 middle school, high school, and college chapters worldwide. Today, Best Buddies’ eight formal programs — Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, e-Buddies® , Jobs, Ambassadors, and Promoters — engage participants in each of the 50 states and in 50 countries, positively impacting the lives of more than 1.2 million people with and without disabilities around the world. In many cases, as a result of their involvement with Best Buddies, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities secure rewarding jobs, live on their own, become inspirational leaders, and make lifelong friendships. For more information, please visit www.bestbuddies.org, facebook.com/bestbuddies or twitter.com/bestbuddies.

Contact Information:
For media inquiries (including requests for credentials):

Nicole Maddox

305-374-2233 ext. 343
NicoleMaddox@bestbuddies.org

Amaury Sablon

305-374-2233 ext. 362
AmaurySablon@bestbuddies.org

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