Building Friendships, Changing Lives: Best Buddies Citizens in Butler County!
At Best Buddies in Ohio, we know that friendship is more than just a connection—it’s a lifeline. For adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), meaningful friendships can often be difficult to make and keep. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce the kickoff event for Best Buddies Citizens program in Butler County, Ohio, on Thursday, March 13! This initiative is a powerful step toward fostering inclusion, social connection, and leadership for adults with and without IDD, and we can’t wait to see the friendships that grow from it!
Why Friendship Matters
Social isolation is a growing crisis across the U.S., and adults with IDD are particularly vulnerable. According to a U.S. Surgeon General survey in 2023, lacking social connection can be as dangerous as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Additionally, research shows that while the average person has a social network of about 125 people, an individual with IDD typically has only three—one of whom is often a paid caregiver.
That’s where Best Buddies Citizens steps in. By pairing adults with and without IDD in one-to-one friendships, the program provides an opportunity for meaningful and intentional relationships to flourish. Through social events, community engagement, staff support, and ongoing mentorship, Citizens helps to bridge the gap of loneliness as well as create lifelong bonds.
How Citizens Works
The Citizens program is designed to create mutually enriching friendships between adults with and without IDD. The process involves:
- Recruitment & Matching: Participants go through an application, background check, and interview process to ensure they are carefully matched based on shared interests and lifestyle preferences.
- Building Bonds: Buddy pairs commit to a one-year friendship, with weekly check-ins and at least two in-person hangouts per month.
- Quarterly Social Events: Best Buddies staff and volunteers host gatherings that develop social skills and create a sense of belonging within the larger community.
A Community United for Inclusion
Citizens in Butler County is part of our broader effort to sustain and expand the program statewide. With dedicated staff and community support here in southwest Ohio, we’re growing our impact by recruiting new chapter members with the goal of making one-to-one friendship matches this year.
Our goal is simple: combat isolation, foster inclusion, and provide opportunities for adults with and without IDD to build genuine, lasting friendships.
Gratitude for Our Supporters
This program is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Hamilton Community Foundation. Their funding has ensured that we can continue fostering meaningful friendships and expanding our impact for individuals with IDD in Hamilton.
Join the Movement
Whether you’re looking to become a buddy, volunteer to host a gathering, or support the program, there are countless ways to make a difference. By getting involved, you’ll be helping to build a world where friendship knows no barriers, and everyone belongs.
Mark your calendars for March 13 and join us as we kickoff Best Buddies Citizens in Butler County! Registration is required and can be done by visiting bestbuddies.org/ohio/citizensinbutlercounty.
Interested in Joining?
Interested in joining Best Buddies Citizens or learning more? Contact our Southwest Ohio team:
Ready to join the Butler County Citizens chapter? Visit bestbuddies.org/join and select “Citizens.”
