Sponsoring Member: Miller, Gary (Republican - California - District 42)

Recipient: Best Buddies of California

Cost: $30,415

Description provided by member:

 Best Buddies is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Best Buddies goals are to provide people with intellectual disabilities an opportunity for social integration and employment, while simultaneously raising public awareness for the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities. Best Buddies achieves this goal by organizing – and rigorously overseeing – volunteer-run chapters at middle school, high school, and college campuses, which pair students with and without intellectual disabilities in a one-to-one mentoring friendship.  The mission is also carried out through e-Buddies, an Internet pen pal program, Best Buddies Citizens, an adult friendship program, and Best Buddies Jobs, a supported employment program. It is critical that Best Buddies California be able to expand it services to assist some of our neediest citizens by supporting additional five high school chapters by serving active participants, training student leaders, providing leadership training to students with intellectual disabilities, and coordinating group outings and countless individual meetings. Federal funding would be used to expand services to students with intellectual disabilities.

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