Best Buddies Friendship programs represent one of our organization’s four key mission pillars. These programs build one-to-one friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (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.
BESTBUDDIES® Elementary Schools
Builds connections and community between young students with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through inclusive activities and social-emotional learning tools that promote one-to-one friendship, acceptance, and interaction at an early age.
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BESTBUDDIES® Middle Schools
Fosters one-to-one friendships between middle school students with and without IDD, in which they share interests, experiences, and activities. Students with IDD are often isolated and left out of social activities. Best Buddies Middle Schools helps to create an inclusive middle school culture for all students early on in their educational development.
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BESTBUDDIES® High Schools
Fosters one-to-one friendships between high school students with and without IDD. In this time of heightened social and emotional development that can be difficult even for teenagers without IDD, the Best Buddies High Schools program helps break through social barriers at an important time in a young person’s life.
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BESTBUDDIES® Colleges
Fosters one-to-one friendships between college students without IDD and their peers on campus or in the community with IDD. Young adults with IDD historically have been isolated at home or in work environments. The Best Buddies Colleges program is changing this by providing the opportunity for people with IDD to be involved in their local campus and community life.
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BESTBUDDIES® Citizens
Supports the development of friendships between adults with and without IDD in corporate and civic communities. Many people with IDD have limited opportunities for social interactions after they leave the school environment. This program helps people with IDD become part of mainstream society and creates an inclusive and diverse community for all.
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e-Buddies ®
e-Buddies provides opportunities for volunteers with and without IDD to develop friendships online and create connections using the power of technology. The program provides the opportunity for members to connect through the e-Buddies social platform, which is designed to expand friendships and create shared experiences through virtual social events. Anyone age 13 and older can participate in e-Buddies. Our program is available throughout the United States and internationally for English-speaking people.
More Info
How our Friendship programs Work
Connecticut Chapter Listing
Elementary Schools 
Middle Schools
High Schools 
Colleges To join a chapter, click a school name below
Elementary Schools
- Bradley School (Derby, CT)
API address [ 155 David Humphrey Road, Derby, CT, 06418, US, null, null, 41.31837549999999, -73.0636377, null]
- Doolittle School (Cheshire, CT)
API address [ 735 Cornwall Ave, Cheshire, CT, 06410, US, null, null, 41.4984538, -72.9237492, null]
- Eli Whitney School (Enfield, CT)
API address [ 94 Middle St, Enfield, CT, 06082, US, null, null, 41.6667996, -72.9222631, null]
- Irving School (Derby, CT)
API address [ 9 Garden Pl, Derby, CT, 06418, US, null, null, 41.3277057, -73.0881101, null]
- Mead Elementary School (Ansonia, CT)
API address [ 75 Ford St, Ansonia, CT, 06401, US, null, null, 41.3376107, -73.0507978, null]
- Moody School (Middletown, CT)
API address [ 300 Country Club Rd, Middletown, CT, 06457, US, null, null, 41.5638231, -72.7120319, null]
- Norton School (Cheshire, CT)
API address [ 414 North Brooksvale Road, Cheshire, CT, 06410, US, null, null, 41.4794835, -72.9183724, null]
- Perry Hill School (Shelton, CT)
API address [ 60 Perry Hill Rd, Shelton, CT, 06484-6038, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Prendergast Elementary School (Ansonia, CT)
API address [ 59 Finney St, Ansonia, CT, 06401, US, null, null, 41.3326407, -73.0595108, null]
- Sweeney School (Windham, CT)
API address [ 60 Oak Hill Drive, Windham, CT, 06226, US, null, null, 41.72517939999999, -72.2285547, null]
- Vance Elementary School (New Britain, CT)
API address [ 183 Vance Street, New Britain, CT, 06052, US, null, null, 41.6542926, -72.7931985, null]
Middle Schools
- Ansonia Middle School (Ansonia, CT)
API address [ 115 Howard Ave, Ansonia, CT, 06401-2220, US, null, null, 41.3412912, -73.0846724, null]
- Cross Street Intermediate (Naugatuck, CT)
API address [ 120 Cross Street, Naugatuck, CT, 06770, US, null, null, 41.4710159, -73.0435485, null]
- Dag Hammarskjold Middle School (Wallingford, CT)
API address [ 106 Pond Hill Rd, Wallingford, CT, 06492, US, null, null, 41.434875, -72.8182945, null]
- Derby Middle School (Derby, CT)
API address [ 73 Chatfield St, Derby, CT, 06418, US, null, null, 41.3341187, -73.0991043, null]
- Dodd Middle School (Cheshire, CT)
API address [ 100 Park Pl, Cheshire, CT, 06410-2145, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Hillcrest Middle School (Trumbull, CT)
API address [ 530 Daniels Farm Rd, Trumbull, CT, 06611-5547, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- John F. Kennedy Middle School (Enfield, CT)
API address [ 155 Raffia Rd, Enfield, CT, 06082-5691, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- John F. Kennedy Middle School (Southington, CT)
API address [ 1071 S Main St, Southington, CT, 06479-1672, US, null, null, 41.5779336, -72.8937557, null]
- Nathan Hale Ray Middle School (East Haddam, CT)
API address [ 73 Clark Gates Rd, East Haddam, CT, 06469, US, null, null, 41.519975, -72.4450005, null]
- Seymour Middle School (Seymour, CT)
API address [ 211 Mountain Rd, Seymour, CT, 06483-2339, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Shelton Intermediate School (Shelton, CT)
API address [ 675 Constitution Blvd N, Shelton, CT, 06484-6304, US, null, null, null, null, null]
High Schools
- Ansonia High School (Ansonia, CT)
API address [ 20 Pulaski Hwy, Ansonia, CT, 06401, US, null, null, 41.3266921, -73.0654308, null]
- Brookfield High School (Brookfield, CT)
API address [ 45 Long Meadow Hill Rd, Brookfield, CT, 06804-1311, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Cheshire High School (Cheshire, CT)
API address [ 525 S Main St, Cheshire, CT, 06410-3198, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Coventry High School (Coventry, CT)
API address [ 78 Ripley Hill Rd, Coventry, CT, 06238-1630, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Crosby High School (Waterbury, CT)
API address [ 300 Pierpont Rd, Waterbury, CT, 06705, US, null, null, 41.5477546, -72.9739097, null]
- Darien High School (Darien, CT)
API address [ 80 High School Ln, Darien, CT, 06820-3331, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Derby High School (Derby, CT)
API address [ 75 Chatfield St, Derby, CT, 06418, US, null, null, 41.3336597, -73.0979851, null]
- East Lyme High School (East Lyme, CT)
API address [ 30 Chesterfield Rd, East Lyme, CT, 06333-1201, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Edwin O. Smith High School (Mansfield, CT)
API address [ 1235 Storrs Rd, Mansfield, CT, 06268-2244, US, null, null, 41.8026713, -72.24414019999999, null]
- Ellington High School (Ellington, CT)
API address [ 37 Maple St, Ellington, CT, 06029, US, null, null, 41.91001200206114, -72.46211696996453, null]
- Enfield High School (Enfield, CT)
API address [ 1264 Enfield St, Enfield, CT, 06082-4947, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Fairfield Ludlowe High School (Fairfield, CT)
API address [ 785 Unquowa Rd, Fairfield, CT, 06824-5061, US, null, null, 41.1489593, -73.2627143, null]
- Fairfield Warde High School (Fairfield, CT)
API address [ 755 Melville Ave, Fairfield, CT, 06825-2050, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Glastonbury High School (Glastonbury, CT)
API address [ 330 Hubbard St, Glastonbury, CT, 06033-3047, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Granby Memorial High School (Granby, CT)
API address [ 315 Salmon Brook St, Granby, CT, 06035-1834, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Joel Barlow High School (Redding, CT)
API address [ 100 Black Rock Tpke, Redding, CT, 06896-3000, US, null, null, 41.3005145, -73.33927609999999, null]
- Lakeview High School (Litchfield, CT)
API address [ 86 Wamogo Road, Litchfield, CT, 06759, US, null, null, 41.7267116, -73.2246255, null]
- Lyman Hall High School (Wallingford, CT)
API address [ 70 Pond Hill Rd, Wallingford, CT, 06492-4849, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Nathan Hale-Ray High School (East Haddam, CT)
API address [ 15 School Road, East Haddam, CT, 06469, United States, null, null, 41.4939554, -72.4409711, null]
- Newtown High School (Newtown, CT)
API address [ 12 Berkshire Rd, Newtown, CT, 06482-1321, US, null, null, 41.4099636, -73.27110259999999, null]
- North Haven High School (North Haven, CT)
API address [ 221 Elm St, North Haven, CT, 06473-3251, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Oxford High School (Oxford, CT)
API address [ 61 Quaker Farms Rd, Oxford, CT, 06478-2736, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Pomperaug High School (Southbury, CT)
API address [ 234 Judd Rd, Southbury, CT, 06488-1920, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Sacred Heart School Greenwich (Greenwich, CT)
API address [ 1177 King Street, Greenwich, CT, 06831, US, null, null, 41.0658757, -73.69230329999999, null]
- Seymour High School (Seymour, CT)
API address [ 2 Botsford Rd, Seymour, CT, 06483-2373, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Shelton High School (Shelton, CT)
API address [ 120 Meadow St, Shelton, CT, 06484-2276, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Simsbury High School (Simsbury, CT)
API address [ 34 Farms Village Rd, Simsbury, CT, 06070-2344, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Southington High School (Southington, CT)
API address [ 720 Pleasant St, Southington, CT, 06489-2713, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Staples High School (Westport, CT)
API address [ 70 North Ave, Westport, CT, 06880-2720, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Trumbull High School (Trumbull, CT)
API address [ 72 Strobel Rd, Trumbull, CT, 06611-5510, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Waterford High School (Waterford, CT)
API address [ 20 Rope Ferry Rd, Waterford, CT, 06385, US, null, null, 41.339537, -72.128648, null]
- Watertown High School (Watertown, CT)
API address [ 324 French St, Watertown, CT, 06795-2929, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Westhill High School (Stamford, CT)
API address [ 125 Roxbury Rd, Stamford, CT, 06902-1215, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Woodland Regional High School (Beacon Falls, CT)
API address [ 135 Back Rimmon Rd, Beacon Falls, CT, 06403-1025, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Colleges
- Central Connecticut State University (New Britain, CT)
API address [ 1615 Stanley St, New Britain, CT, 06051-2439, US, null, null, 41.6907573, -72.77097719999999, null]
- Eastern Connecticut State University (Windham, CT)
API address [ Communication Building, Windham, CT, 06226-2211, US, null, null, 41.7209067, -72.21838149999999, null]
- Fairfield University (Fairfield, CT)
API address [ 1073 N Benson Rd, Fairfield, CT, 06824-5171, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Quinnipiac University (Hamden, CT)
API address [ 275 Mt Carmel Ave, Hamden, CT, 06518-1905, US, null, null, 41.4197818, -72.8915502, null]
- Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, CT)
API address [ 5151 Park Ave, Fairfield, CT, 06825-1090, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Southern Connecticut State University (New Haven, CT)
API address [ 501 Crescent St, New Haven, CT, 06515-1330, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Trinity College (Hartford, CT)
API address [ 300 Summit St, Hartford, CT, 06106-3100, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- University of Connecticut (Mansfield, CT)
API address [ Charles B. Gentry Bldg, Mansfield, CT, 06269-9005, US, null, null, 41.8085708, -72.25387909999999, null]
- University of Hartford (West Hartford, CT)
API address [ Beatrice Fox Auerbach Hall, West Hartford, CT, 06117-1545, US, null, null, 41.7949001, -72.7157659, null]
Citizens
- Connecticut Citizens (New Britain, CT)
API address [ 74 Vine St, New Britain, CT, 06052, US, null, null, 41.6634723, -72.7937101, null]
- East of the River Transition Academy (Colchester, CT)
API address [ 119 Lebanon Avenue, Colchester, CT, 06415, US, null, null, 41.5784984, -72.32893270000001, null]
- F.R.I.E.N.D of Oxford CT Citizens at Quarry Walk (Oxford, CT)
API address [ 220 Main St, Oxford, CT, 06478, US, null, null, 41.4243838, -73.10703790000001, null]
- New Britain Senior Center Citizens (New Britain, CT)
API address [ 55 Pearl St, New Britain, CT, 06051, US, null, null, 41.6628145, -72.77760479999999, null]
- Pfizer Connecticut Citizens (North Haven, CT)
API address [ null, North Haven, CT, null, null, null, null, null, null, null]
Is your school not listed? Click here for info on how to start a chapter.
