Best Buddies International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development and inclusive living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), is excited to announce that it is partnering with The Mosaic Company to decrease barriers and improve access for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Through The Mosaic Company’s commitment of $50,000, students will be provided ongoing opportunities to impact their schools and communities through opportunities that provide them with leadership, allyship, future employment and general life skills in Best Buddies’ School Friendship Program.
“Best Buddies is grateful for partners like The Mosaic Company who have shown incredible fortitude and commitment throughout the challenges stemming from the pandemic,” said Anthony K. Shriver, founder, chairman and CEO of Best Buddies International. “With their support, Best Buddies will continue to reach thousands of participants with IDD and provide them with the resources needed to feel included, confident and optimistic about the road ahead. I am confident that together we will continue to empower this community — connecting advocates and mobilizing our supporters to create a more inclusive world.”
“At Mosaic, we believe in decreasing barriers and increasing access for Hillsborough and Polk County students in Best Buddies’ School Friendship Program. These students seek to impact their schools and communities through opportunities that provide them with leadership, allyship, future employment and general life skills,” said Sarah Fedorchuk, vice president of North America government and public affairs. “I am personally familiar with the impact that Best Buddies’ School Friendship Program has on its participants and the ripple effect it has on the school, families and community, and I am thrilled to see Mosaic partner on this powerful investment.”
Best Buddies Friendship programs (www.bestbuddies.org/what-we-do/friendship/) represent one of Best Buddies’ four key mission pillars. These programs build one-to-one friendships between people with and without IDD, offering social interactions while improving the quality of life and level of inclusion for a population that is often isolated and excluded. Through their participation, people with IDD form meaningful connections with their peers, gain self-confidence and self-esteem and share interests, experiences and activities that many other individuals enjoy. Founded in 1989 by Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant organization that has grown from one original chapter to nearly 3,000 middle school, high school and college chapters worldwide.
For more information, please visit www.bestbuddies.org, www.facebook.com/bestbuddies or https://twitter.com/bestbuddies.
The Mosaic Company is one of the world’s leading producers and marketers of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. Mosaic is a single-source provider of phosphates and potash fertilizers and feed ingredients for the global agriculture industry. More information on the company is available at www.mosaicco.com.
