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Best Buddies in Minnesota is excited to announce the opening of our Rochester Citizens Program!

Best Buddies Citizens pair an adult with an intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) in a one-to-one friendship with an adult without IDD from their local community. Through the program, these two adults, called a buddy pair, develop a mutually enriching friendship, experience life together, and support each other when it’s needed most. Best Buddies Citizens also offers group events to build community between participants.

Best Buddies Citizens helps individuals become more included in our community and builds the connection to a friendship that can often be tough for people with IDD. This program not only enhances the lives of adults with disabilities, but it also changes the lives of the participants without disabilities. Through learning to see life from a new perspective, people become more understanding, patient, and accepting of others within our community. The Best Buddies Citizens program creates an inclusive and diverse community for all.

The program is open to adults 18 and older who live in the Rochester area. A Citizens friendship match is made based on similar age, interests, and geographic proximity. Best Buddies staff conduct a thorough screening process to ensure they are making the right match, based on several criteria. By participating in the program each buddy pair agrees to develop their friendship through weekly communication and spending time together at least once a month. Participants commit to their friendship for at least a year, but many matches often grow into life-long friendships!