Champion of the Year
Unites and recognizes the community’s most active leaders in the name of inclusion. By devoting their passion, talents, and networks to Best Buddies through a philanthropic competition, our Champions lay the foundation for transformative change in their communities.Find a Campaign
Alabama
Arizona
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Washington
Washington D.C.
Wisconsin
Supporting Local Programs
All funds raised benefit Best Buddies – the largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people worldwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower people with IDD to form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure jobs, improve communication and advocacy skills, and live independently, while also offering support for their families.
The IDD community that Best Buddies serves individuals with IDD and their families. The IDD community includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, and other undiagnosed disabilities.
Circle of Champions
Our 2023 Top 3
1 | $142,588.00
Tina Gulledge
South Carolina
2 | $137,401.45
Melissa Taylor
Palm Beach
3 | $117,048.00
Kaelyn Cassidy
North Florida
Our Nationwide Champion of the Year Winners
Congrats to our 2023 Alabama Champion of the Year
Raised $11,000 for Best Buddies in Alabama
Alabama
Congrats to our 2024 Arizona Champion of the Year
Kendra Verdoni
Raised $138,755 for Best Buddies in Arizona
Arizona
Congrats to our 2024 Bay Area Champion of the Year
Ken Seto
Raised over $53,030 for Best Buddies in the Bay Area
California: Bay Area
Congrats to our 2024 Los Angeles Champion of the Year
Dana Schoppers
Raised over $29,000 for Best Buddies in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Orange County!
California:Los Angeles
Congrats to our 2024 San Diego Champion of the Year
Meg Heidrick-Barnes
Raised $14,150 for Best Buddies in San Diego
California: San Diego
Congrats to our 2023 Sacramento Champion of the Year
Ashlee Patel
Raised $26,885 for Best Buddies in Sacramento
California: Sacramento
Congrats to our 2023 Connecticut Champion of the Year
Dave Renker & Andrew White
Raised $38,000 for Best Buddies in Connecticut
Connecticut
Congrats to our 2023 Delaware Champion of the Year
Delaware
Congrats to our 2023 North Florida Champion of the Year
Florida: North Florida
Congrats to our 2023 Orlando Champion of the Year
Fabio Zacco & Marvin Fung
Raised $46,613 for Best Buddies in Orlando
Orlando
Congrats to our 2023 Palm Beach Champion of the Year
Florida: Palm Beach
Congrats to our 2023 South Florida Champion of the Year
Raised $55,094 for Best Buddies in South Florida
Florida: South Florida
Congrats to our 2023 Tampa Bay Champion of the Year
Michael Mitchell
Raised $52,000 for Best Buddies in Tampa Bay
Florida: Tampa Bay
Congrats to our 2023 Southwest Florida Champion of the Year
Alabama
Congrats to our 2023 Broward Champion of the Year
Raised $33,410 for Best Buddies in Broward
Florida: Broward
Congrats to our 2023 Georgia Champion of the Year
Georgia
Congrats to our 2024 Illinois Champion of the Year
Joey O’Brien
Raised $64,137 for Best Buddies in Central Illinois
Illinois: Central Illinois
Congrats to our 2024 Chicago Champion of the Year
Nicole Marty
Raised $111,818.73 for Best Buddies in Chicago
Illinois: Chicago
Congrats to our 2023 Indiana Champion of the Year
Raised $69,950.00 for Best Buddies in Indiana
Indiana
Congrats to our 2023 Iowa Champion of the Year
Iowa
Congrats to our 2023 Kentucky Champion of the Year
Kentucky
Congrats to our 2024 Maine Champion of the Year
Ellie Clifford and Caitlin Williams
Raised $64,000.00 for Best Buddies in Maine. In total, we raised $300,000!
Maine
Congrats to our 2024 Maryland Champion of the Year
Mary Snowdon
Raised $23,687 for Best Buddies in Maryland
Maryland
Congrats to our 2023 Michigan Champion of the Year
Raised $69,500.00 for Best Buddies in Michigan
Michigan
Congrats to our 2023 Minnesota Champion of the Year
Minnesota
Congrats to our 2023 Kansas City Champion of the Year
Daniel Owen
Raised $9,045 for Best Buddies in Kansas City
Missouri: Kansas City
Congrats to our 2024 St. Louis Champion of the Year
Bennett Baur & Ned McLean
Raised $55,867 for Best Buddies in St. Louis
Missouri: Kansas City
Congrats to our 2023 Mountain Champion of the Year
Raised $31,248.93 for Best Buddies in Mountain
Mountain (CO & UT)
Congrats to our 2024 New Hampshire Champion of the Year
Mandi Emery
Raised $31,450 for Best Buddies in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
Congrats to our 2023 New Jersey Champion of the Year
Angela Andrews & Holly Raymond
Raised $23,339 for Best Buddies in New Jersey
New Jersey
Congrats to our 2023 New Mexico Champion of the Year
Gracie Flanagan
Raised $8,478 for Best Buddies in New Mexico
New Mexico
Congrats to our 2024 Western NY Champion of the Year
Team Dave Nicchitta and Katie Frost
Raised $3,715 for Best Buddies in Western NY
New York: Western NY
Congrats to our 2023 Albany Champion of the Year
Caroline Orr & Teagan
Raised $9,500 for Best Buddies in Albany
New York: Albany
Congrats to our 2023 North Carolina Champion of the Year
Sarah Richardson
Raised $45,000 for Best Buddies in North Carolina
North Carolina
Congrats to our 2023 Ohio Champion of the Year
Katie Kilmek
Raised $65,000 for Best Buddies in Ohio
Ohio: Cleveland
Congrats to our 2024 Columbus Champion of the Year
Sue LeDonne Girardi & Julie Panzera Mission Partner: Joey Tullis
In photo (Left to right): Sharla Thomas, Alex Rgers (Gala Co-Chairs), Joey Tullis, Sue LeDonne Girardi (not photoed: Julie Panzera)
Raised $23,816 for Best Buddies in Columbus
Ohio: Columbus
Congrats to our 2023 Oklahoma Champion of the Year
Kelsey O’Halloran
Raised $78,432 for Best Buddies in Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Congrats to our 2023 Oregon Champion of the Year
Kendall Campbell
Raised $44,000 for Best Buddies in Oregon
Oregon
Congrats to our 2023 Philadelphia Champion of the Year
Ashley Long
Raised $9,159 for Best Buddies in Philadelphia
Pennsylvania: Philadelphia
Congrats to our 2023 Pittsburgh Champion of the Year
Chelsea Beaufort
Raised $16,956 for Best Buddies in Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh
Congrats to our 2023 South Carolina Champion of the Year
Tina Gulledge
Raised $142,588 for Best Buddies in South Carolina
South Carolina
Congrats to our 2023 Nashville Champion of the Year
Steph DeSantis
Raised $105,745 for Best Buddies in Nashville
Tennessee: Nashville
Congrats to our 2023 Houston Champion of the Year
Jordyn Ensell & Juliette Molloy
Raised $83,975 for Best Buddies in Houston
Houston
Congrats to our 2023 North Texas Champion of the Year
Donny & Tysen Churchman
Raised $19,973 for Best Buddies in North Texas
Texas: North Texas
Congrats to our 2023 Central Texas Champion of the Year
Kate Avery & Laura Avery
Raised $74,360 for Best Buddies in Central Texas
Texas: Central Texas
Congrats to our 2024 Washington Champion of the Year
Maddy McCrosky and David Franklin
Raised $30,000 for Best Buddies in Washington
Washington
Congrats to our 2024 Washington, DC Champion of the Year
Sheila Stabile & Jaxson Zimmerman
Raised $81,980 for Best Buddies in Washington, DC
Washington, DC
Congrats to our 2023 Wisconsin Champion of the Year
Don Weber & Jacob Borkin
Raised $21,000 for Best Buddies in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
