On Friday, November 5, Best Buddies in VA & DC is hosting their first annual Champions of Inclusion celebration at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Best Buddies recently named ten Champion of the Year candidates who are competing to raise awareness and funds for Best Buddies, a non-profit organization that creates employment and leadership development opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).  The event will honor the Champions’ collective impact and raise additional funds for the organization. Chefs from some of D.C.’s premier restaurants will be paired with Buddy Sous Chefs to help plate and serve food for the event.

This is the first year Best Buddies in VA & DC has named ten Champion of the Year candidates who are working hard leading up to the event to help raise funds to grow the Best Buddies Program across Washington, D.C., and Virginia. The Champion Of The Year candidates are invested in and passionate about the Best Buddies organization and with their efforts will generate countless opportunities for friendships, jobs, leadership development, and inclusive living for people with IDD. The candidates are all connected to the IDD community, personally or professionally.

2021 Best Buddies in VA & DC Champion of the Year candidates and Mission Partners include:

• Nicole Baradi & Matthew Gang

• Maria Blaeuer & Hannah Doskey

• Brannon Burnett & Owen Connally

• Emily Calvert & Kelvin Cifuentes

• Cate Dorigan & Kevin Dorigan

• Barbara LaMonaca & Vince LaMonaca

• Kathleen McGuire Buschbacher, Patrick Wood, & Jack Erickson

• Rosie Pollak & Courtney Veatch

• Jason Tepper & Jaxson Zimmerman

• Paul Timm & Alex Bolden

Area restaurants and chefs will pair with a Buddy Sous Chef to plate and serve a dish or dessert for the evening. It’s a special experience because those who benefit from Best Buddies get to actively participate in the event. Participating restaurants and chefs include Chloe (Haidar Karoum), Fare Well and Sticky Fingers (Doron Petersan), Gravitas and Baker’s Daughter (Matt Baker), Lebanese Taverna (Grace Shea), Stellina Pizzeria (Antonio Matarazzo and Matteo Venini), and Taco Bamba (Victor Albisu).

Those looking to become involved to provide meaningful opportunities to people with IDD can support a Champion’s campaign, purchase tickets to the November 5 event, become a corporate sponsor, or make a general donation to the cause. Event tickets can be purchased at bestbuddieschampion.org/vadc

About Best Buddies International and BBVADC

Best Buddies International is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement to create opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, and other multiple disabilities.

Best Buddies in VA & DC (BBVADC) was established in 2005 and now serves over 4,700 participants throughout the Capital Region in 94 school friendship chapters-from elementary to college; with over 250 adults in our Citizen Friendship Program; and 40+ participants in our Jobs Program providing supported employment at 50 local companies and organizations. Learn more at: bestbuddies.org/vadc