What started as a college project has since turned into a worldwide non-profit organization that has affected more than 700,000 lives.

Founded by Anthony Kennedy Shriver in 1989, Best Buddies is a global volunteer movement dedicated to creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It has had a large impact here at Algonquin.

“[Best Buddies] is a way to make lifelong friendships,” sophomore Kate Crimmings said. “The club connects and unites everyone with and without IDDs (intellectual and developmental disabilities).”

The club affects not only students, but their families and friends alike.

“I knew about Best Buddies because my sister, Stephanie, has autism and has been a member of the club for several years,” sophomore Katelyn Li added. “[Stephanie] inspired me to become a part of it all.”

Although Best Buddies strives to inform the public of the normalcy that those with IDDs can achieve, they also made it their mission to involve as many people as they were able to in their recent campaign, Spread the Word to End the Word.

“Spread the Word to End the Word is an international initiative that was started by Best Buddies to educate people about the negative connotation of the word retard,” Best Buddies president and senior Lexie Koziel said.

“People use this word as a synonym for ‘stupid’ or ‘dumb,’ however, they don’t know that the word hurts,” Crimmings added. “The campaign’s goal is to spread awareness of how the word makes people feel, and why it should not be used.”

The “R-Word Campaign,” which launched in early March, has obtained over a 100 student signatures, each pledging to stop their derogatory use of the “r” word. Best Buddies has also created an R-word video that further shows the effects behind the word.

However, despite campaign involvement, being a member of Best Buddies also constitutes that everyone participate in fostering an inclusive environment for those with and without IDDs.

“The goal of Best Buddies is to create friendships … we work to achieve it by matching our members in one to one friendships,” Koziel said.

When asked, Koziel recalls a moment during the graduation party for her buddy, Caleb Murphy, where he was given the opportunity to cut up his favorite cake. She vividly remembers watching Caleb do it all with a huge smile on his face.

“It showed me how something so simple was able to make Caleb so happy,” Koziel said. “I think that’s one of the best qualities someone can posses: being able to be happy by such a simple gesture.”

Along with Koziel, Li also recalls memorable moments with her buddy, Alexis Sokoloff.

“Whether we’re playing video games, fawning over Peeta in the Hunger Games, or chowing down on pizza, she has really shown me how important friendship is.”

And through it all, Best Buddies has left a large impression on those involved in the club.

“Our generation is the first to have experienced people with intellectual disabilities institutionalized,” Koziel said. “That means we’re the first to fully experience the movement.”

“I have made genuine friendships with some of the most kind and trustworthy people, and I cannot imagine my life without knowing the people I’ve met,” Crimmings said.

The Best Buddies club meets every few Wednesdays with Mr. Hausmann in room D203.