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
New Mexico Chapter Listing
Elementary Schools 
Middle Schools
High Schools 
Colleges To join a chapter, click a school name below
Elementary Schools
- Arroyo del Oso Elementary (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 6504 Harper Drive Northeast, Albuquerque, NM, 87109-3604, US, null, null, 35.1526606, -106.5752976, null]
- Chaparral Elementary School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 6325 Milne Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87120-1691, US, null, null, 35.1334043, -106.7127526, null]
- Collet Park Elementary School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 2100 Morris St NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87112-3201, US, null, null, 35.1065925, -106.5238367, null]
- Dennis Chavez Elementary (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 7500 Barstow St NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109-4951, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Joe Harris Elementary School (Rio Rancho, NM)
API address [ 2100 10th St SE, Rio Rancho, NM, 87124-4054, US, null, null, 35.2639856, -106.7208633, null]
- John Baker Elementary (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 12015 Tivoli Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87111-5309, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Maggie Cordova Elementary School (Rio Rancho, NM)
API address [ 1500 Veranda Rd SE, Rio Rancho, NM, 87124-3897, US, null, null, 35.2349325, -106.6984403, null]
Middle Schools
- Chaparral Middle School (Chaparral, NM)
API address [ 290 East Lisa Drive, Chaparral, NM, 88081-8020, US, null, null, 32.0405755, -106.4127067, null]
- Cleveland Middle School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 6910 Natalie Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87110-1323, US, null, null, 35.126835, -106.5696342, null]
- Desert Ridge Middle School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 8400 Barstow St NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87122-2832, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Lyndon B Johnson Middle School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 6811 Taylor Ranch Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87120-2957, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Madison Middle School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 3501 Moon St NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87111-4619, US, null, null, 35.1209452, -106.5432228, null]
- Mesa Middle School (Las Cruces, NM)
API address [ 7225 N Jornada Rd, Las Cruces, NM, 88012-7277, US, null, null, 32.4074032, -106.7265046, null]
- Mountain View Middle School (Rio Rancho, NM)
API address [ 4101 Montreal Loop NE, Rio Rancho, NM, 87144-8455, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Polk Middle School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 2220 Raymac Rd SW, Albuquerque, NM, 87105-6843, US, null, null, 34.9776891, -106.7038039, null]
- Wilson Middle School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 1138 Cardenas Drive Southeast, Albuquerque, NM, 87108-4809, US, null, null, 35.0611474, -106.5795618, null]
- Zia Middle School (Las Cruces, NM)
API address [ 1300 New Mexico State Road 101, Las Cruces, NM, 88005, US, null, null, 32.2759044, -106.784481, null]
High Schools
- Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 6400 Wyoming Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87109-3843, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Aztec High School (Aztec, NM)
API address [ 500 East Chaco Street, Aztec, NM, 87410-2170, US, null, null, 36.8218708, -107.9931455, null]
- Bloomfield High School (Bloomfield, NM)
API address [ 520 N 1st St, Bloomfield, NM, 87413-5307, US, null, null, 36.7173339, -107.9784617, null]
- Bosque School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 4000 Bosque School Rd NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87120-2546, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Centennial High School (Las Cruces, NM)
API address [ 1950 S Sonoma Ranch Blvd, Las Cruces, NM, 88011-1706, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Chaparral High School (Chaparral, NM)
API address [ 800 S County Line Dr, Chaparral, NM, 88081-7830, US, null, null, 32.0425117, -106.3772854, null]
- Cibola High School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 1510 Ellison Dr NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87114-5101, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Cleveland High School (Rio Rancho, NM)
API address [ 4800 Cleveland Heights Rd NE, Rio Rancho, NM, 87144-1607, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Eldorado High School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 11300 Montgomery Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87111-2602, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Estancia High School (Estancia, NM)
API address [ 709 Hopewell Avenue, Estancia, NM, 87016, US, null, null, 34.7648244, -106.0600291, null]
- Farmington High School (Farmington, NM)
API address [ 2200 N Sunset Ave, Farmington, NM, 87401-3421, US, null, null, 36.7500265, -108.2047118, null]
- Gadsden High School (Anthony, NM)
API address [ 6301 Highway 28, Anthony, NM, 88021-8597, US, null, null, 31.997401980682, -106.655967005834, null]
- La Cueva High School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 7801 Wilshire Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87122-2807, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Las Cruces High School (Las Cruces, NM)
API address [ 1750 El Paseo Rd, Las Cruces, NM, 88001-6012, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Manzano High School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 12200 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87112-5804, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Moriarty High School (Moriarty, NM)
API address [ 200 Center Ave, Moriarty, NM, 87035-8001, US, null, null, 34.9881649, -106.0438811, null]
- Organ Mountain High School (Las Cruces, NM)
API address [ 5700 Mesa Grande Dr, Las Cruces, NM, 88011-6017, US, null, null, 32.3819602, -106.7153896, null]
- Piedra Vista High School (Farmington, NM)
API address [ 5700 College Blvd, Farmington, NM, 87402-1773, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Rio Grande Preparatory Institute (Las Cruces, NM)
API address [ 2355 Avenida de Mesilla, Las Cruces, NM, 88005, US, null, null, 32.2752926, -106.793411, null]
- Rio Rancho High School (Rio Rancho, NM)
API address [ 301 Loma Colorado Blvd NE, Rio Rancho, NM, 87124-6523, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Sandia High School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 7801 Candelaria Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM, 87110-3757, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Volcano Vista High School (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ 8100 Rainbow Blvd NW, Albuquerque, NM, 87114-6090, US, null, null, null, null, null]
Colleges
- New Mexico State University (Las Cruces, NM)
API address [ 1780 E University Ave, Las Cruces, NM, 88003-1229, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ Human Resources Service Center (Employment & Benefits), Albuquerque, NM, 87106-3835, US, null, null, 35.0893968, -106.6246758, null]
Citizens
- Albuquerque Citizens Program (Albuquerque, NM)
API address [ null, Albuquerque, NM, null, null, null, null, null, null, null]
- Citizens Las Cruces (Las Cruces, NM)
API address [ null, Las Cruces, NM, null, US, null, null, null, null, null]
- Four Corners Citizens (Farmington, NM)
API address [ 5101 N Dustin Ave, Farmington, NM, 87401-3923, US, null, null, 36.7762543, -108.1952096, null]
Is your school not listed? Click here for info on how to start a chapter.
