Best Buddies in Minnesota April Newsletter
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4th Annual Best Buddies Friendship WalkJoin us for a 1-mile paved walk followed by a Party in the Park to celebrate friendship and inclusion and raise funds for Best Buddies programs in Minnesota. There will be music, food, kids’ activities, Pound fitness classes, special guests, and more!
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Enrich Your Life Through Friendship, Connection, and Inclusion
Our adult friendship program, called Best Buddies Citizens, has been so well-received that we need more adults without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to join the program so we can continue making life-changing friendship matches with the individuals on our waitlist.
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Honoring a Community Hero
Memorial Fundraiser Raises $11,000 for Best Buddies in Minnesota
Pamela Salomone of Apple Valley dedicated 25+ years of her adventurous and joy filled life to special education, where she served as a teacher and case manager for transition-aged students at Transition Plus as well as a group home coordinator. When Pam passed away on March 2nd, her family knew Pam’s gift of loving and supporting others needed to be shared. Thank you to Pam’s family and friends who honored her legacy of helping individuals reach their full potential through a donation to Best Buddies in Minnesota.
In Case You Missed It
Morpheus Benefit Concert Raises $8,610 for Best Buddies in Minnesota
On April 15th, we hosted our second annual benefit concert featuring Morpheus, an 11-piece local cover band! The event was an evening full of singing, dancing, raffle prizes and celebrating our local Best Buddies programs. A big thank you to Crown Bank, who generously matched all donations for this event, and to everyone who attended!
Community Resource Spotlight
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program at MSP Airport
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) has partnered with the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower organization to bring its Sunflower Lanyard program to MSP. Anyone who feels they have a hidden disability can ask for a lanyard at one of several locations throughout the airport and determine for themselves when to wear it while at the airport. When someone working at the airport sees someone wearing a Hidden Disabilities Sunflower-branded lanyard, they will then know that this person may need extra assistance or patience.
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Disability Awareness: Did You Know?
Autism Acceptance and Awareness Month Spotlight
Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a developmental disability that affects how people communicate, learn, behave and interact with the world. Approximately 1 in 36 children in the United States is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, and adults can be diagnosed later in life as well.
People with autism continue to face obstacles when seeking employment, education, health care, and housing – and the immense contributions of people with autism are often overlooked. Public appreciation and awareness of people with autism clears up stereotypes and serves as support for parents, caregivers, and autistic people. Best Buddies in Minnesota is proud to support and celebrate people with autism this April and always.
Global Best Buddies Ambassador, Joshua Felder, speaks about his autism as his superpower. You may recognize him from his recent film – Champions, co-starring with Woodly Harrelson. Joshua feels so supported by his Best Buddies community, saying that it has “given [himself] the confidence to advocate for [himself] and others with IDD.” Click the button below to read more about Joshua and his journey with Best Buddies!
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