History

The Buddy Walk was developed by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to celebrate October, National Down Syndrome Awareness Month and provide an annual public platform for advocacy. It brings together people with Down Syndrome and their invited BUDDIES- everyone from friends and family to teachers, politicians, and co-workers- to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome and to raise funds for education, research, and advocacy programs. The Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training. The walk has grown from 17 walks in 1995 to more than 125 in recent years. Hundreds of thousands of people walk from coast to coast and around the world each year. The goal of the walk is three folded: to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome; to raise funds necessary to develop innovative and effective programs; and to enhance the position of the Down Syndrome community, enabling us to positively influence local and national policy practice.