![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Milestone_1962-e1449058309154-1-e1563866571542.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 1962<\/h3>\n
Eunice Kennedy Shriver writes an article for the Saturday Evening Post based on her family\u2019s own experience, entitled \u201cHope for Retarded Children\u201d, which spurred the fight against a widely misunderstood affliction.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Kennedyspeech-e1563866604145.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 1963<\/h3>\n
Mental Retardation and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act, originally Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act (DD Act) which authorized federal grants for construction of public\/ nonprofit community health centers, signed into law by President John F. Kennedy.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/AKS-oldschool-e1449058408493.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 1987<\/h3>\n
Anthony Kennedy Shriver founded the original Best Buddies Chapter at Georgetown University.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/logo-color@2x.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/div>\n 1988<\/h3>\n
The iconic Best Buddies logo that features two individuals in an embrace was donated to Best Buddies in the late 1980s from legendary pop-artist, Keith Haring.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
1989<\/h3>\n
Incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization on January 19, 1989, Best Buddies\u00ae becomes America\u2019s first national, unified, social, and recreational program for people with intellectual disabilities.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
1993<\/h3>\n
The Best Buddies Fine Art Collection is developed, featuring masterpieces by Keith Haring, Roy Lichtenstein, and Robert Rauschenberg.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
1993<\/h3>\n
Launch of Best Buddies Citizens, with the goal of pairing adults with intellectual disabilities with their non-disabled working peers.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
1994<\/h3>\n
Best Buddies Jobs, a supported employment program targeting high-paying, corporate jobs for people with intellectual disabilities, launches in Florida, California and Massachusetts.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
1995<\/h3>\n
Best Buddies High Schools is established with the goal of pairing special education students in one-to-one friendships with high school volunteers.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
1996<\/h3>\n
Best Buddies Middle Schools pilot program is launched, reaching a younger age group with the hope that inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities will have a lasting effect on societal norms for the next generation.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
1999<\/h3>\n
e-Buddies\u00ae is launched as a cutting-edge e-mail friendship program.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/tom-brady-and-bill2.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 2000<\/h3>\n
Best Buddies holds the inaugural Best Buddies Challenge in Hyannis Port.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
2003<\/h3>\n
For the first time, Best Buddies has participants in all 50 states and on six continents.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/walk-photo-e1449058457589.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 2009<\/h3>\n
Best Buddies Friendship Walks are established.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/bestb.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 2010<\/h3>\n
For the first time, Best Buddies has programs in 50 countries around the world.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/EKS_Portrait.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 2010<\/h3>\n
The Eunice Kennedy Shriver Act, which authorized federal funds for Best Buddies, passed the U.S. House of Representatives on May 19, 2010.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
2011<\/h3>\n
Best Buddies Ambassadors becomes Best Buddies\u2019 seventh formal program.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
2012<\/h3>\n
Best Buddies Promoters officially launches as the eighth program for the 2012-2013 school year. It becomes the first Best Buddies program open to elementary schools.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
2013<\/h3>\n
Best Buddies celebrates its 25th anniversary.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/AKS-AND-SLIM-IM-IN-TO-HIRE-e1449058551993.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 2014<\/h3>\n
Best Buddies launches the I\u2019m In To Hire campaign to promote the business benefits of hiring people with IDD.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
2015<\/h3>\n
In October 2015 A&E Network partnered with Best Buddies and premiered a new docu-series, Born This Way, which chronicles the lives of seven young-adults with Down syndrome, several of whom are Best Buddies participants.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/guy-fieri-cooking-with-best-buddies.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 2016<\/h3>\n
Best Buddies Global Ambassador Guy Fieri hosts the inaugural Guy Cooking with Best Buddies Celebrity Chef Food & Wine Festival at Harvard Stadium as part of the Best Buddies Challenge: Hyannis Port.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
2016<\/h3>\n
The Best Buddies Alumni Association officially launches with the focus of developing a lifelong friendship between Best Buddies and its Alumni, which includes all former volunteers, students, staff and board members.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/mdb-1.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 2017<\/h3>\n
In May 2017, Best Buddies hosts the inaugural Mother\u2019s Day Brunch in Malibu, CA, with Global Ambassador Cindy Crawford and her daughter, Kaia Gerber.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/tb.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 2018<\/h3>\n
In April 2018, Best Buddies Global Ambassador Tom Brady travels to Qatar to launch integrated employment initiative in partnership with the country\u2019s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, Qatar Museums and Best Buddies Qatar participants.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
2019<\/h3>\n
In January 2019, Best Buddies celebrates 30 years of creating opportunities for inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.bestbuddiesturkey.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/bb-living.jpg\")
<\/div>\n 2019<\/h3>\n
2019: In January 2019, Best Buddies elevates its mission to meet the significant need for inclusion by establishing Best Buddies Living, a residential living experience for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their peers. This new program represents the organization\u2019s newest and fourth key mission pillar, Inclusive Living.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”grid” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” z_index=”” css=”.vc_custom_1563113754018{margin-top: 60px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1563113924216{padding-bottom: 20px !important;}”][vc_column_text] Our History Over the past 50+ years, our society has made great strides towards inclusion for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Below is a timeline that highlights key…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"full_width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"yoast_head":"\n